


Dimension Hoppers

by Rbook



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad hair days, Based on C'est La Vie by cywscross, Based on a Tumblr Post, Blood Adoption, M/M, Mostly Crack, Multi, One-side Puppy love, POV Multiple, Please let me know what tags to add, Selfcest, Sexual Panics, Time Travel, a fanfiction of a fanfiction, shop owners
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-01-15 22:22:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21260588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rbook/pseuds/Rbook
Summary: Based on the wonderful fic C'est La Vie by Cywscross and posted on my TumblrIn a world where Hadrian Evans had arrived a little earlier and Fate had given him a different back story.





	1. Part 1: Meeting

Orion Black had not noticed the new store until it’s opening day. 

He had been passing by with his Father who was ever so excited about buying Orion his Hogwarts supplies, insisting they needed to beat the crowds and go the moment the owl dropped it off at their home. (He knows the real reason, of course, being werewolves made it difficult to shop and “beating the crowds” was another way of saying “Avoid large amounts of discrimination”. He let his father think he wasn’t aware though) 

Orion couldn’t work up the energy to match Father’s enthusiasm. His first year of Hogwarts was everything and nothing like he expected it to be. He knew he would meet students who would not like him for his condiction but he had hope that he could make some kind of friends. Naive as it was, he went there with the desire to find the kind of best mates his Father had found among the magical castle walls. 

That hope had been shoot down the moment the headmaster announced what he was. Harry, always eager to put Orion in his place, jumped at the chance to turn everyone against him until it felt like he was sitting behind enemy lines no matter where he was.

Add to the fact, he was sharing a room with Harry and his new idiot best friends not to mention the open hostility Weasley and Longbottom showed when drawing that line. Orion could honestly say he hated every second of his schooling.

Throughout the year, the eleven-year-old encountered some kids who seem friendly at first, but it all had ended up as a prank, often with Harry as the mastermind behind them. It was eye-opening, in a twisted so of way, to realize just how the world saw him. 

A part of him wanted nothing more than to burn the second year Hogwarts letter and never return. But he was no coward. He would not run away from reality. He was a Gryffindor after all, and he would endure these next six years like he did his first. (_Maybe, just maybe this year will be different? First years wouldn’t be told of his status…maybe one of them would like him_) 

“’ Rion? Would you like to go get your books first or some new robes?” Father called, smile soft but the corners of his eyes strain with distress when his son did nothing more than stare at him for a few seconds before shrugging.

All summer long, the young werewolf had spoken as minimum as he could, shut away in his room. He’s always been a bit reserved and socially awkward but never to these levels.

Orion knew his parents were worried, had known each time they came over during the full moons. They tried their best to cheer him up, to get him to talk but even that took the levels of energy he just wasn’t feeling anymore. Each passing day at Hogwarts caused him to shrink further in on himself in order to protect what little Orion could of his heart and now, well into the summer he seems unable to unshrink. Not even for his parents’ sake. 

“Well, how about-” 

Whatever Father was going to say was lost on Orion, because his attention had been taken by a new store. The one that had just open with no pre-warning. (Magic buildings tended to do that but they were at least advertise days beforehand in order to generate some kind of clientele). 

Or to be more precise Orion’s attention had been taken by the young boy standing in front of it, who was staring right back at him with wide-eyed astonishment. The boy was small, almost delicate face but painfully average and the only thing that really stood out was his green eyes. He was wearing Muggle brown trousers and a plain white shirt, a white apron was thrown over his outfit and a tray of little cups in his hands.

He must have been handing out samples. 

Orion sent him a sneer, suddenly angry that even here, even away from his classmates, other kids_ still stare at him like he shouldn’t be real. _

The boy didn’t so much as blink. He returns the sneer with an intrigued look, unoffended in any kind of way before his eyes shift up to look at Father who had to realize Orion was no longer listening. It was only because he was watching that Orion caught the ripple of emotions that went over the boy’s face before it settles into a calm friendly glance.

“Is that one of your school friends?” Father asks a tad bit too eagerly. To Orion’s horror, he was already moving in the direction of the child even before finishing his question.

This seems to be all the approval the stranger needs, seeing as he straightens up, turning in their direction fully. Before he could state he had no friends, the boy left his post and was walking quickly in their direction.

It was almost a run, but the boy didn’t seem to waste a single step, graceful in a way that didn’t make sense. There might be a mistake, maybe the sounds of the always busy alley masking it, but he swore he couldn’t hear his footsteps either. In only a matter of seconds, he was standing before Orion, holding out his little try.

“Free sample?” The werewolf didn’t miss the way he seems to stare at him like he was drinking up his features. 

Orion said nothing staring back at him before his father cleared his throat an obvious sign he was disapproving of his manners. “Um, what is it?”

“Dragon’s Breath. You stick the puffball in any of these flavors and blow smoke out while you eat” The boy said easily, and for a startling moment, he realizes he may not be all that young. In fact, they may even be near the same age despite how tiny this kid was. “It’s really popular in the States.”

“Are you from the States?” Father asked taking the toothpick the boy offers and stabbing one of the puffs. He quickly dunks it in the white melted chocolate like Orion knew he would. 

“I’m from all over.” The kid answers staring up at him with an odd emotion in his eyes. “My parents were curse breakers so the family traveled a lot.”

His eyes flicker to Orion. “Would you like one?”

He doesn’t answer, and the air thickens with awkward stillness for a few seconds before Orion careful takes one of the puffs going for the caramel flavor. Luckily the other doesn’t seem all that offended, patiently giving him time to decide what he wanted. 

Once it’s in his mouth the flavor of caramel dances over his tongue, and he makes a small O with his lips as smoke rushes out. It’s not a little puff like he expected by a long white smoky breath of air that curls and flickers in the air. 

It’s kinda wicked.

His Father blows out his own smoke smiling. It’s as interesting watching as it is being the one to perform it. “Your dad would love this.”

The boy beams. “We sell some take-home boxes with various flavors if you like to take him some? I’m Hadrian by the way. Hadrian Evans”

“Remus Lupin,” Father answers charmed by Evans. “This is my son Orion Black.”

If he’s curious about the different last names then Evans doesn’t show it. Instead, he bobs his head at him respectfully. “Nice to meet you”

Maybe this year was worst on him then he thought because Orion finds words falling out of his mouth before he can stop himself. “I’m a werewolf.”

He waits for the fear, or the hatred aware his father has stiffened next to him but unwilling to look away from the green eyes. Evans doesn’t faze in the slightest instead, he raises a brow looking far too amused. “That’s nice. I’m a wizard myself”

He wonders if the bewilderment he feels is showing on his face. It was…such a lack of reaction even Father did a double-take. What does one even say to that? 

Evans suddenly smiles, warm and friendly in equal parts, and Orion doesn’t know what to do in the glory of it. “I like you.”

Is this what it feels like to be kicked in the chest? 

“Hadrian Evans!” A man’s voice suddenly cuts through the air, sharp with chiding. Evans winces, for the first time looking like a child. 

Walking towards them is an older looking Evans. He’s got long dark uncontrol hair, poorly pulled into a ponytail, like it was shoved there despite it not wanting to be. Loose stands swung rebelliously out, his green eyes aren’t nearly as bright at Evans, more moss then brilliant jewel but they are the same shapes. 

He’s older but far too young to be Evans' father. A brother perhaps? 

His face is pulled into a nasty scowl. “Young man, what did I say about wandering off by yourself? You could have been kidnapped!”

“Sorry Will,” Evans tells…older Evans. He gestures to the werewolves, his eyes seemed to convey another strange emotion. “I just wanted to meet someone my age.”

Orion feels his face heat up as the older man cuts his gaze at him and Father, looking like he suddenly understands why Evans disobeyed him. For some reason, he is embarrassed by that. (From the corner of his eye he peaks up at his parent and is meet with gleeful amusement, beaming in parental pride. His face grows hotter)

“It’s fine, just don’t do it again.” He huffs rubbing Evans’ hair roughly. He grins over at the werewolves open and friendly as Evans. “Sorry about him. He tends to ignore social rules. I’m Will Evans, this brat’s older brother.”

The pair of brothers invite them back to their shop, called Dimension Hoppers, which turns out to be a general store of various imported objects from all over the world. There are so many new things that Orion could barely choose where to look, Hadrien dragging him along pointing and explaining what each item was, with obvious enthusiasm. 

Especially when they came across the Ancient Runes section. Orion thinks that’s his new…friend?…favorite topic.

Obviously, he had some experience as a salesman, because he doesn’t flatter whenever Orion asks questions nor tries to push a sale. He just gives a general tour of all the allies as the grown-ups talked in the front.

Turns out Will was also a curse breaker, following his parents’ footsteps. After their deaths, he gained guardship over Hadrian and had chosen to start a business using the family connects to supply rare objects from around the world, so he could be close by when Hadrien started Hogwarts. 

“He was going to homeschool me,” Hadrian says a few hours later walking with him as the pair finish shopping for their school supplies that weren’t sold in his brother’s shop. 

Which were only like five things. Orion himself had most of his list finished there too. The prices were much fairer and his Father had been overjoyed that they could save some for new robes. 

“But I kinda always wanted to go to an actual school instead of being taught everything on the road, you know?”

He didn’t. But he also didn’t know how in the world he left Dimension Hoppers with an invitation to come back and hang out sometime before Hogwarts. Nor why in world, Will had passed him some Dragon Breath’s boxes on the house for his brother’s first friend on their way out.

His father wouldn’t stop smiling and…neither could he. Orion hadn’t had this much fun in a long time. He already couldn’t wait to see Hadrian again. 

Maybe his second year at Hogwarts won’t be all that bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Evans is actually Bill Weasley from the previous would. He woke as himself but the two perform a Blood adoption to make him an Evans and Remus is under the impression Hadrian talked to his son because Hadrian has a crush on Orion. Orion may be a little OOC which is due to him only having to deal with only one of bullying instead of four


	2. Part 2: Summer Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimension Hoppers is the magical version of Walmart

The wind chimes released pleasant twinkling sounds when he pushed the door open. The noise had quickly become familiar to the young werewolf over the last few weeks he’s been visiting the establishment.

His tense shoulders relax instantly, taking a second to breathe in the calming scents of the store, his new safe haven from the many pointed stares of Diagon Alley. He picks up one scent in particular that has his heart racing and his hands sweaty. 

Right on cue, Orion hears Hadrian call in a friendly voice from behind the counter “Welcome to Dimension Hoppers. Please have a look around. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.” 

He turns to find his best friend - isn’t that a crazy thought? He, Orion Black, has a _best friend_!- standing on a step stool. He was attempting to push a box onto one of the shelves, but it wasn’t going all too well, seeing as Hadrian’s hands could barely even reach the top shelves much less push something upwards onto it.

Orion could barely pick up the other’s soft swearing with his werewolf hearing, nothing that would make Father’s nose wrinkle, but frustrated none the less. “Stupid heavy box. Stupid Fate making me short again. Stupid Will, and his stupid long legs. Stupid no underage magic law. Dang, it _get up_ there already!” 

A smile quirk onto his lips as he is unable to fight it completely. Luckily Orion _was_ able to swallow the chuckle that wanted to escape his mouth as Hadrian started to hop up and down in an ill-fated attempt to ram the box upwards.

He was fortunate that his friend hadn’t seen the smile yet, giving him time to shove it off his face as best he could. Marlin knows Hadrian’s dislike of comments on his hight.

Will took lots of pleasure in pointing out his height any chance he could because of said dislike. The oldest Evans didn’t seem all that faze by Hadrian’s admittedly terrifying wrath, consistently comparing it to “being threatened by a cupcake with a knife”. (How Will had survived this long Orion may never know)

He rounded the counter, barely aware of soft hum as the Barrier Runes. They recognize him easily, deeming him a non-threat and letting him pass without much fuss. Will had coded him into them a few days back when the store got a large rush and Orion had jumped in to assist the overwhelm brothers. 

Seeing as he been here every day for nearly three weeks beforehand, he was far familiar with the layout of the store and after a few instructions, was cashing out customers like a pro.

Orion had been an unofficial employee ever since. They paid him by the hours he worked, and even giving him a discount of “Take whatever you want from the shelves.” 

Dad had been ecstatic about that particular benefit. This was the only Wizarding store that sold his favorite Muggle band shirts and he wasn’t shy about letting his excitement show. Father, on the other hand, had simply picked up entire chocolate basket acting as casually as he could while doing so. Hadrian had been highly amused. 

“Need help?” He asks taking the box before Hadrian could answer. Since the other didn’t so much as twitch, he knew that his friend had been aware of his presence behind him the whole time. Sometimes that was a bit scary, other times it was humbling. 

Green eyes narrowed with a warning even as he steps back to allow Orion to climb up. “I’m not little.”

“You’re not. You just need to hit a growth spurt is all.” 

Hadrian’s frown would have made his stomach twist with cold uncertainty when they first meet but now nearly three months of their friendship he knows he’s done no real offense. “Once I hit puberty, you will cower”

“I’m shaking in my boots” Orion mocked, smiling when it causes a snort of amusement from Hadrian. His heart did a little flip in his chest. He tries not to think about the why as Hadrian starts talking about the new shipment of rare exotic hair products Will has ordered.

While doing so Hadrian is already handing over a white apron that has the store’s logo printed on the front without prompting. The young werewolf often compares this to when Dad knows what Father wants without words and the content feeling of _Pack _almost makes him dizzy. 

“He thinks it’ll help with the frizz. I told him it’s useless but he’s still convinced he will have silky smooth hair if he tries hard enough-” Hadrian cuts his words off turning to the door as the chimes sing once more. “ “Welcome to Dimension Hoppers. Please have a look around. If you need anything don’t hesitate to ask”

Orion never says the greeting himself but the brothers were nearly religious about it. Will said that his old boss beat it into his head to always be polite even when the customers weren’t. Apparently, said boss never lets go of grudges and he had learned to listen quickly.

Hadrian went along with it but he wasn’t very willing to be polite if the customer wasn’t. (Already he’s thrown out three families after hearing the remarks they said about Orion. Will had made the wards not allow them back in and officially “banning” them from the store)

Orion felt his smile fall, retreating into himself when he recognizes the family of redheads. He had been lucky, having never run into anyone in his school year, just some upperclassmen who had all avoid him as much as he had them. For the most part, they left him alone if he did nothing other then stand behind the counter. 

Dimension Hoppers may be one of the greatest stores he’s ever seen but it was still relatively new and most people haven’t wandered in yet. Just a few regulars who happen to find the rare exotic selection by chance. 

It may not be the best for business but it was the best for him.

But looking at the expression of Ron Weasely his luck was about to run out. 

“You know them?” Hadrian asks softly, voice lowered so only Orion can hear. There is a strange emotion in his words, something that says sorrow but not quite. The Evans brothers sound like that at odd times. 

“Something like that” Orion mumbles back. He shifts to stand closer to Hadrian wanting to protect him even though he knows there is nothing to protect from. The wolf in him just felt Orion’s unease and demanded to make sure the pack was safe. 

The Red-haired family has dispersed throughout the store. The Twins all but tripping over themselves for the joke section while Percy had stopped before the books and not moved, looking like he was going to self combust from excitement. Mr. Weasely and Mrs. Weasely were looking at the children potions kits while Grinny had dragged a narrow-eyed Ron to the Quidditch section. 

The eldest, Bill, was calmly looking over the hair products with a thoughtful air about him. The only one misses was Charlie. He lost sight of the youngest two when they rounded one of the aisles but the store Runes was keeping track of them.

Hadrian hummed in a non-commenting way before his hand shoot out and squeezed Orion’s own. For a heart-stopping moment, the werewolf almost squealed. “Whatever your history is with them I’ll make sure they leave you alone.”

His fingers pulled away and he instantly missed their warmth. Marlin, what did Hadrian say? Orion’s brain wasn’t really working right now. “Ugh. Yeah. Protect. Sure” 

Hadrian smiled at him, never judging him for his fumbling words. It eases the nervousness in his chest a little. 

The door leading to the upper apartment, where the Evans lived, open then. Since the doorway was placed in a little hall it was kind of far from the counter. It was only because he was watching Hadrian’s face, that he saw the flash of worry melt over his face before it was gone in a blink of an eye. “Will, you need to go back upstairs.” 

Orion is used to being surprised by his friend but the command in those words really throw him for a curve. It was the first time he ever heard anything resembling an actual fight between the brothers and it baffled him.

Apparently, Will felt the same way. “Why? I felt the Runes flare that a shoplifter-”

“Will, I can handle that but you aren’t in the mental state to deal with-”

“Mental state? What the hell are you talking-”

“How much for these?” Orion jerked his head over the counter. He was mentally kicking himself for being so distracted by the drama unfolding before him than paying attention to the customers. Will had said the shoplifter rune had flared (though that may due with the person holding the item too close to the door. It tended to happen sometimes), he should be watching them!

The Weasly Twins had piled a bunch of prank objects onto the counter, mischevious glee etched into their grins. Next, to him, Will made a choked sound that sounded suspiciously like “**_Fred_**” but was too low for him to be sure.

Hadrian had snatched him by the arm yanking him further into the back before his brother could move to the counter. Briefly, his eyes meet Orion’s, his brilliant green nearly pleading.

Orion took the initiative and stepped forward. If Hadrian wanted him to serve them instead of Will then he would. “That will be seven Sickles for everything together on our Back-to-Hogwarts Sale. ”

“Back-to-Hogwarts Sale is my new favorite words,” Said one of the twins (Orion can never tell them apart) eagerly plopping three Sickles on the counter while his brother placed the last four. He eyed Orion with a look that meant a nasty prank was on the way. “Do you work here now, Starlightkins?”

Orion tried not to show how the nickname, filled with mocking, stung “I volunteer here. Would you care for a bag?”

“Volunteer? Why that-”

“-Sounds very interesting. What exactly-”

“-does one do when volunteering?” 

“You manage the counter and sell things.” He puts as much sarcasm as he can into his words, gently bagging the items.

At once the twins stand straighter. Together they say “Sell things? You can sell here? Anything? What does one do to be able to sell their products here and how much do they make?”

“You’ll have to ask management.” Do they know how creepy it is, when they speak perfectly simultaneously? They should stick to finishing each other’s sentences that won’t give nightmares. “I can’t make those kinds of calls”

One twin tilted his head. “Alright. Where is management?”

“Right here,” Will says finally coming out from the back. Orion does a double take. Will’s eyes are glossy, not enough to gather tears but not unnoticeable to him. He’s never seen the Evans show anything other than calm friendly, so seeing the man he’s come to see as a big brother close to crying- or as close as he’s ever been- is very upsetting. “What can I do for you boys?”

The twins look like cats standing over a mouse. “We got an offer you can’t refuse. How would you like to be one of the first stores to ever sell Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes?”

Will looked confused for a moment before his eyes light up. “The owl-ordered prank items? I read about them but haven’t had the chance of ordering yet. Impressive potential. Are you two the brilliant minds behind them then?”

One of the brothers beams “We are in did. Care to do business?”

Well, they certainly don’t miss a chance, do they? Orion wonders what it’s like to have that much confidence. 

There is a moment while the eldest Evans considers them before shrugging. “Eh what the heck. Sure, come into my office and I’ll hear you two out but I won’t promise anything yet. Hadrian, can you stock the new Mermaid Locks for me?”

“Give up Will,” Hadrian answers sounding normal again and Orion relaxes. Whatever had happened a while seems to have passed. “You’ll never have straight hair. Stop ordering new products that promise you lies.”

“ These ones will work.” The twenty-two-year-old smooths out some of his hair almost subconsciously. The strands stick out of his ponytail even more by the action, making him frown. “Just go do it, you brat”

Hadrian gives him a cheeky grin, patting Orion’s shoulder on his way to do as he’s told, bending down for the shipment box.

The werewolf’s lips quirk when he sees Will shoot Bill a longing look as he leads the twins away. Surprisingly the Weasleys say nothing but they no doubt saw the same look their new possible business partner had.

The grins on their faces are knowing enough.

Once the party of three are out of earshot, he leans in to tell Hadrian. “I think your brother has a crush” He jerks his head to the eldest Weasley who is stocking up on all kinds of hair products as if though it’s going out of style. “Must be the hair.”

Hadrian looks honestly startled before he roars with laughter. It’s the first time he’s ever laughed this hard or this long, his voice gaining the attention of the rest of Weaselys. 

Orion has never seen anything more beautiful than that smile so he’s a little too stunned by it to really notice the pairs of eyes now watching them. 

“That was almost as funny as the time we went to get ice cream without telling him” Hadrian wheezes. “Do you remember?”

Orion does remember that day, how could he possibly forget? It was the first time he went out with a friend for ice cream. 

The two had finished a shift early, the younger Evans famished with the urge to have something cold and suggested ice cream. In their excitement to have some, the twelve-year-olds forgot to inform Will, leaving after locking up. 

Will had been in the workshop which was located in the basement testing out new products, specially designed for Cruse Breaking work. It was only about an hour later that the young man stumbled upon them eating at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour looking half craze in worry. 

“Empty store! You two gone! With No note! No sign! Not even a verbal warning! What were you two thinking!? You could have been kidnapped! You could have _died_! And I would have been none the wiser!” Will had shrieked at the boys before suddenly looking horrified. In a small voice he had whispered “Oh no, I’ve become my mother”

Hadrian had nearly snorted his ice-cream through his nose.

Orion grins at the memory. “How do you think he’ll handle us going to Hogwarts next week? Think he’ll go insane?”

“Not with Remus checking up on him,” Hadrian says with a soft smile. “Your parents seem to really care for him.”

“For both you.” Orion corrects firmly. “They care for both of you”

Hadrian tilts his head but says nothing, shrugging in an uncaring matter. Sometimes Orion really hates that about his best friend. Does he not know his own value? How can he not see just how wonderful he is? 

Again, the Black Heir swears to himself he will do everything he could to make Hadrian Evans know he’s important. Even if he has to spend the rest of his life doing so.

Secretly, he hopes he _will_ able to spend the rest of his life at Hadrian’s side, be it as a best friend or as something…more. 

Mrs. Weasely puts five potion kits on the counter then and he turns to her without fuss, aware that Hadrian has gone over to stock up the bottles of Mermaid Locks. 

Her buying her kids’ school supplies remind him that in only five days, Orion and Hadrian would be boarding a train for Hogwarts. All the fun new adventures that the castle could bring him now with a friend by his side, not to mention no longer having to stay near Harry.

Who knows what this year will be like. But whatever the case may be, whatever the future may bring, he would gladly spend it by running Dimension Hoppers with the Evans. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Orion is crushing hard right now but's it's one-sided.   
Will is hurt about his hair and was staring at Bill's locks in longing, not the man himself.   
Will has become Molly Weasley


	3. Part 3: New School, New Rivals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> YOU DO NOT THROW CHILDREN ONTO MOVING TRAINS

Orion was brushing his hair, marveling at how silky soft it’s gotten thanks to Will’s maintenance tips when Dad bursts into the room with a loud shout “It’s time to go! Come along Pup,I can’t have my _future son-in-law _wait too long!”

Dropping the brush, the young werewolf whirl around, face turning a bright red. “Dad! I told you it’s not like that!”

The answering grin he got in return was filled with mischievous glee, curling on his parent’s face in a terrible resemblance of the _Grinch_ when he got a wonderful awful idea. Orion mentally kicked himself for comparing his Dad to the green abomination even if it had been Hadrian’s favorite Christmas movie and he had to watch it twice now.

When Orion told the other boy he had never really seen movies the other took it as a personal challenge to bombard him with all the ones the other owned on VHS. Some had been rather entertaining, and he could see why muggles loved them so, but the Grinch haunted his nightmares. 

Not that he would ever let his best friend know. Nope, Orion was a Grif, he _had_ pride thank you.

“Hadrian and I are merely friends,” He says lowering his voice from the high pitch on pure will alone. No need to give Dad more admission then he already had. Marlin knows every time he gets embarrassed his cracks more than usual. Orion cannot wait till this whole puberty thing was over. “Please refrain from calling him things like that. He may get the wrong idea which will make Hogwarts very awkward” 

Dad’s eyes dimmed just a bit “Hadrian is a good kid. He won’t stop being your friend the moment you two get to Hogwarts.” 

For one terrifying second Orion feels like he may cry but he pushes the burning in his eyes away, stubbornly stomping down on the worry in his chest. “I know.” 

He watches his Dad open his mouth but reconsiders whatever he was going to say and closes it again. There is a bit of regretful longing in his gaze as he shakes his head. It must be about Har-_Potter. _Dad only gets like that when he thinks about what he and Uncle James used to have. 

Sometimes Orion resents the fact his parents are still friendly with the Potters. Resents it so much it burns. How could they stand aside and smile when their son suffered so much around his bully? How can they invite the Potters over for tea while the youngest Potter made snib remarks of not wanting something prepared by a werewolf? How could they stand to watch the way Har-_Potter_ make Father hunches his shoulders in shame?

How could they sit there, acting like nothing was wrong, while the person they invited into their home discriminated against them?

Orion had no intention of being friendly.

He didn’t need to anymore, he had Hadrian now. Oh, he would be civil, would show Uncle James and Aunt Lily respect as Father would never allow anything otherwise but he will be distant. He will make it clear that _they_ stand over there and _he_ stands over here. 

Like he has done before. Like every time he walked Hogwarts halls and his classmates always seem to stand together while he watched in the far distance cripply lonely. 

_But this time someone will stand with you_ an encouraging voice says in his head which sounds an awful lot like Will. _You’re not alone anymore_

It’s Dad’s answering smile that informs Orion his grinning like a loon. He tries to smooth out his face even though he knows it’s a wasted effort. “So, um are we leaving or-?”

“Yes, yes,” Dad says perking up. “Your father is just packing you and Hadrian a meal for the train then we can be on our way. Will flooed just moments ago. He’s going to meet us at the station.”

Orion nods, picking up the dropped brush and adding it to his trunk. His eyes catch his house robes. For a moment he worries Hadrian will be sorted in a different house but disregarded the fear. 

His friend is one of the bravest people he’s ever met. Only twelve and already unwilling to bend to anyone’s command (except maybe Will’s. Hadrian seems unable to disappoint his brother. But then again, almost everyone is. Will is someone you just feel terrible about letting down.) 

When customers become unreasonable Orion always gets weary, unsure in how to handle the situation but not Hadrian. He had no qualms with throwing people out. Sometimes even did the physical removal of them himself. It was amazing to watch.

Surely, Hadrian will be in Gryffindor. And they would be living together. Orion felt his face heat up as he imagines what it is like to _live with Hadrian. _ He would be able to tell him goodnight and have pillow fights and study nights and he would get to see Hadrian _hair in the mornings._ Right after he rolls out of bed, sticking up in the back like always and he just knows it be _adorable_-

“Orion? Are you ready?” Father asks from the door. 

“Oh, he’s ready. Been standing there for a while smiling in excitement at the thought of his second year.” Dad answers for him.

The werewolf jumps horrified that he forgot about his Dad. He peaks up at his parents and flushes a dark red when he sees the knowing look they trade. Dad is making that Grinch-smile again. “Remember when we were second years? Takes me back to those days of young love”

“Dad!” Dang it, his voice cracked again. 

An hour later Orion is kneeling on the cushions of the Hogwarts Express seats poking his head out the top half of the window. He keeps glancing around the crowd but he can’t spot the Evans anywhere. Why weren’t they here yet? What if Hadrian didn’t arrive? The train was to leave in only two minutes!

He is already inside, having picked the last compartment as far away from Potter’s group as possible. It also happens to be by the last door so boarding and un-boarding will be quick meaning they can avoid the crowd when they get to Hogwarts. Something Hadrian will appreciate….if he gets here.

The train horn goes off, signaling departure and his stomach drops. 

Father looks just as worried as he feels. “ Do you think they don’t know how to find the platform? The Evans have never been to Hogwarts before.”

“Yes. I explain it to Will this morning in the Floo” Despite how he doesn’t try to show it Dad looks unsure himself “I should have told them to come with us. At this rate, Hadrian will miss the train! Perhaps I should go look for them-”

“Please excuse us! We are very late! Pardon me, I need to get through!” Will’s voice breaks through the noise of parents tearfully saying goodbye to their children. He sounds polite but he’s elbowing anyone out of his way who isn’t fast enough, dragging a trunk and running like the hell hounds are after him.

Hadrian is one step behind, gently offering his own pardons, following the path his brother carved through the crowd. Orion doesn’t break into a large smile like he wants to- here in public he feels uncomfortable showing too much emotion- but he does wave his hand. 

He doesn’t worry about grabbing the Evans attention since Dad gladly does it for him. “You two are late!”

“Sorry, sorry” Will gasps coming to a stop before them. His hair for once looks absolutely fabulous. It’s all volume and fashionably tousled, curling around his head like a halo. It seems Will had finally given up on straight hair and had embraced reality, making something wonderful of it. “It was all my fault. I was trying to get a natural wavy look but I-”

“You took too long in the bathroom!” Hadrian complains. He isn’t out of breath but his face is flushed from the run. Orion knows that means the two had been running for a long while. It takes a lot to make the brothers tired. “I told you not to try steaming it but did you listen? No.”

“Nevermind that! Get on! Quickly!” Father ushers the youngest Evans just as the train jerks starting to inch forward. Orion watches in some kind of fascinated horror as the man who practically embodies the concept of Big Brother boldly chucks Hadrian’s trunk onto the train stairs and in the same motion picks up Hadrian.

The train is moving quickly now, but the intent of the eldest is obvious. He’s running alongside the train, people jumping out of the way. Father’s eyes widen, while Dad’s smile falters and Hadrian screams as Will launches the boy into the air. “GRAB THE RAILING!”

Orion nearly throws himself out the window hands desperately reaching outwards even though he knows he won’t be able to help Hadrian. The boy lands on his feet, thankfully on the train, holding onto the stair railing with an angry snort. “Will!”

“I love you! Have a wonderful year! Remember to write, study hard and no boyfriends or girlfriends until your fourth year!” Will yells back seemingly to not be worried by the venom in Hadrian’s glare as the train leaves the station. Will waves making sure to lock eyes with Orion, his smile warm filled with brotherly adoration. “If you need anything from the store, Owl me! Bye boys! Have a good time! I love you!”

Hadrian huffs, grabbing his trunk before it rolls off and jerks the train car door with it until he is in. 

Orion barely resettles into his seat before the door to the compartment is open by a frizzled Hadrian. He walks into the room slumping onto the couch opposite of him, leaving his trunk on the floor. He tries not to laugh he really does, but the expression on his best friend’s face is too much and he bursts into breathless laughter.

Soon pearls of laughter join his. They stay like for who knows how long until Orion can’t breathe. “He threw you onto a moving train!”

“I know, I was there” Hadrian sounds put out upon but his smile is happy. “Good way to start the year I reckon.”

“If one is interested in barbaric displays I believe it would be considered a good start” A new voice has Orion freezing up. He shuts himself behind all the walls his built turning cool eyes to the doorway. He almost lets his mask fall in surprise as he finds himself staring at Draco Malfoy.

What was he doing here? The heir never left the front of the train, as it was where the “first class” students sat.

Hadrian, however, doesn’t seem started. But then again he never does. “Hi, Draco. How are you?”

“Very well Evans. And you?” 

“I told you to call me Hadrian”

“I told you that won’t happen.”

Hey, hey, hey why was the blond acting so friendly with _Orion’s_ best friend? “You two know each other?”

Hadrian waves a hand inviting Malfoy to take a sit by Pureblood customs. The werewolf has always wondered how he seemed to know those, using them subconsciously at the oddest of times. “When we first open, he was our first sale. Turns out we’re the only ones that sell the French Team Quidditch merchandise in Diagon Alley. He came in as soon as he saw them through our front window.” 

“You simply have good taste,” Malfoy said with great dignity acting as if though he wasn’t twirling the ring on his finger. Orion recognized it as snitch design rings he stocked in the Quidditch aisle three days ago. They were a real sealer. “Someone in that place has to, I suppose”

“I suppose” Hadrian agreed easily, amusement in his voice. “How was France by the way?”

“Wonderful. It was a great vacation the likes of which I’m sure you are not used to. Father even bought me the lastest broom while I was there.” Malfoy brags turning his nose upwards like the proud little Slytherin he is. Orion can’t fight the urge to roll his eyes. 

“I’m glad you had fun with your dad then.” The werewolf is about to grimace in annoyance that Hadrian is being nice to the snake but he watches with small amounts of astonishment as the pureblood’s face softens. It’s not by much but in the world of upper-class wizardly politics, it’s the equivalent of beaming. 

“Thank you, Evans. Perhaps next time you can come along.”

“Hadrian” His friend corrects. He looks at the blond sitting at his side with a bemused smile then he waves a hand at the other male in the cart. “This is Orion Black by the way. Orion, this is Draco Malfoy”

“We’ve meet,” Malfoy says suddenly coldly. The wolf in Orion sneers. “I take it you are the one Evans mention in the letters? Judging by your face you seem unaware Evans and I were owling this summer.”

Why did the bastard sound so smug? “I wasn’t. I was too busy working alongside him instead.”

“Ugh, guys?” Hadrian looks back and forth between them looking confused by the sudden tension. Orion himself is confused by it too but he’s too caught up in the moment to really care. 

“I see.” Malfoy frowns for only a split second before his face smooths out. He gently touches Hadrian’s arm as he stands “I shall be returning now to my cart but if you wish to join me later you may. It best to meet with those that will be in your house soon and I am more than willing to explain any questions you no doubt may have. I am, after all, the most suited.”

“Sure thing. Thanks, Draco,” Hadrian says a little wary still unsure of what just transferred. Not Orion. He knows what that was. It was a challenge. “If I need anything I’ll look for you.”

With a nod, the Malfoy gracefully leaves, back straight and head held high. Orion silently adds him to his mental hate list right under Potter as Hadrian watches him go. It’s not till the other second year has crossed train cars that Hadrian leans back into his seat, sliding the door close. 

“That was odd. He’s not usually like that.” Hadrian mumbles “It’s almost like the first time…”

Orion’s jaw tightens. There is an odd nasty burning in his chest. “Why does he think you’ll be a Slytherin?”

Hadrian wasn’t…hoping to be in the snake house, was he? 

“I honestly don’t know. Draco’s just been saying that for months now.”

“You’ve known him longer than me” It’s not a question. 

“I met him a month before you actually. He just went to spend the summer in France a week before you and Remus came to the shop.” Hadrian’s eyes have a weird emotion in them, the kind that says grief but also hope. “Turns out he’s really easy to get along with if you listen to watch he means instead of the words he uses to express himself with.”

What the heck did that mean? “What house do you want to be in?”

It’s a testament to their friendship that Hadrian doesn’t even bat an eye at the nearly desperate question as he shrugs “Whichever one will have me I guess. I know your family was in Gryffindor but Draco’s in Slytherin and he seems alright. I’m sure Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff will be nice too.”

“Yeah,” Orion says feeling restless “Yeah I’m sure they are.” 

The rest of the train ride went on. Both boys ate the lunch his father packed- some beef ravioli for Orion and salad for Hadrian- laughing and joking for hours on end but Orion couldn’t shake the feeling he wasn’t going to be able to see Hadrian bed hair like he hoped-er thought. 

He was proven right when the sorting hat shouted for the world to hear “HUFFLEPUFF” after being on Hadrian’s head for seven minutes. He bites back the disappointment, clapping along with the crowd as his friend gracefull walks to the table of yellow and black. 

He is quickly greeted by Cedric Diggory who is a tad too friendly with the way he leans into Hadrian’s space. He doesn’t seem to notice the boy’s dislike of him yet, obviously too used to people falling for his charm.

His eyes flickered over the Slytherin and he locked gazes with Malfoy. No doubt he noticed the same thing he did. Orion is surprised by the nod he receives, returning it automatically. It feels like the acknowledgment of a warrior across battlefields allying together to bring down a bigger opponent.

It humbles him.

Gently he removes Malfoy from the hate list because Hadrian had been right. He’s not really all that bad it seems.

The next morning Hadrian casually sits before him at the Gryffindor table acting like he doesn’t notice the stares he’s getting for doing so and Orion allows himself one small smile. 

Why did he think anything would change when they got to Hogwarts? Hadrian Evans was far too good for that silly nonsense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will is a mess of a guardian but he's trying.   
Draco Malfoy has entered the game and he's got a crush on cute clerk because he's really nice to him.  
Puppy love for Draco and one-sided for Hadrian  
Love rivals everywhere


	4. Part 4: Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Evans are cryptics pass it on

“Did you hear? Harry Potter got his nose broken by the new kid!”

“What? How did that happen?”

“Apparently Potter insulted Black like usual, even pushed him when he didn’t listen and the next thing you know-_Bam_! Punched him right in the face!”

“Marlin’s pants! Why would he waste his time for that mutt?”

“I don’t know. If you asked me, someone that violate should be expelled-”

Orion turns a sneer on the gossiping Ravenclaw girls. Once they spot him, they scramble away like little rats they are, and he feels dark pleasure at the way they trip over each other. It’s once they disappear from view around the hall does he return his gaze back to his clutch hands resting in his lap.

It’s been an hour since Hadrian punched Potter, and he’s yet to come out of the head master’s office. 

Closing his eyes he tries to ease the worry in his chest as he thinks about the incident. It started like normal, Potter cornering him while he was waiting for the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws to finish their Defense Against The Dark Arts class.

The brat has not seemed to understand that Orion wasn’t going to live under his thumb any longer. He’s been trying to force the Black Heir to do his bidding for days now and each time had been chased off by Hadrian’s dismissive comments. 

This was the first time he ever tried to be physical, probably assume that having Orion outnumbered would help him. As if. The bastard and his idiot friends had nothing on his werewolf strength. 

It just so happened that when he pushed him, Orion tripped slightly over his pants legs and ended up, back against the wall. That was all Hadrian saw before he was upon the Potter Heir. 

Finnigan and Thomas had jumped into the fight the moment Potter hit the ground, causing Orion to prepare to throw his own fists but Hadrian had rounded on them the second they went for their wands. The werewolf had watch stunned, alongside the other students, as they froze under a binding charm the store clerk shot out wandless _and _wordless.

They soon join their leader as a bleeding mess on the floor.

The whole hall held their breath as the second year glared coldly down at the three boys. “I told you it was not beneficial for your health. You _will _leave us alone from now.” 

Potter had looked gobsmacked. Orion can still feel the shivers that went down his spine- goodness has anyone ever looked so attractive?

And all to defend _him. _

Too bad the professors had not taken well to the scene of Potter whimpering in his own blood while Hadrian stood over the fallen boy like an arch angle soaring on furry.

Will had been flooed at once, the oldest Evans arriving in a very similar matter as a raging hurricane. It was easy to see the family resemblance between the siblings because both made people jump out of their paths in terror at the sight of their wrath. Hadrian had taken one look at his brother’s face and lifted his chin defiantly. “They deserved it”

If possible Will’s eyes turned to glaciers “Explain.”

“Potter pushed Orion.” Hadrian’s usual passive face was clouded with rage “He called him a _pet. _Like he _owns _him_! Like he’s nothing.”_

That seems to mean something to Will since the eldest turn his glare on Professor Lockhart making the man jump in fright. “I want to know the reason bullying of this level is allowed in this school. Now.”

For a twenty-two-year-old, Will sounded almost like a war general. Even Hadrian, who was the most layback person Orion’s ever meet, had that tone so it must be a family trait.

Professor Lockhart looked about ready to cry until Headmaster Dumbledore ushered everyone into his office including a supremely livid Aunt Lily. It was hard to say who she was mad at the most, her son for starting a fight or Hadrian for breaking her boy’s nose.

“I just heard what happened. Is Hadrian alright?” Oh great, just to make things even better Diggory was here. The Hufflepuff sat to the right of Orion, his pretty face clouded in worry. “I heard his nose got broken.”

“As if that peasant could break Evans’ nose,” Malfoy said as condescending as he could from Orion’s left. “It was Evans that did the breaking. _Without _magic. How utterly pathetic of Potter to be taken down so easily. Evans certainly taught him a lesson”

This was the closest he’s ever heard Malfoy swoon. It was gross. 

“Oh, good” The relief in Diggory’s voice was easy to pick up on “I’m glad he’s okay. Do either of you know-”

The door open and out came eerily calm Evans brothers. Orion’s stomach dropped at the sight of Hadrian holding his folded robes. He should be wearing those since there were still classes and if he wasn’t that meant he wasn’t going to class which meant-

“I’m suspended.” Hadrian shrugs “For the rest of the week. I’ll be back on Monday.”

“What? That’s not fair! What about Potter?” For once Orion agrees with Diggory. 

Will no longer looks angry, back to the soft big brother that happily hands out sweets to young children. “He got two days of suspension”

“That’s it?!”

The eldest shrugs taking a step forward to automatically tussling Diggory’s hair. Orion watches the small amount of pink bloom on the older Puff’s cheeks but doesn’t care about is since Hadrian was _suspended for a week._ “They thought him having to heal his nose naturally was punishment enough.”

“My father will hear about this,” Malfoy announces all but steaming in his own way. “He will have something done at once. It’s idiotic that you are being punished so severely for defending yourself.”

“It’s okay Draco,” Hadrian says with a small bemused smile. He always does that whenever Malfoy offers to have his father’s influence to the half-blood. “I don’t mind. I missed the store.” 

“The store missed you.” Wills jokes seemingly unaware of the sexual panic he just started in Diggory as he swings an arm around his brother. “Who else will clean the public bathrooms?”

With a roll of jewel green eyes, Hadrian huffs “You of course.”

“Me? And ruin these fine nails? I think not.”

“Are you telling me you haven’t clean the public bathrooms since I left? Will, that’s gross.”

Will laughs, warm and deep, bringing the small boy into his side. “Marlin I missed you brat. Come, let’s get your stuff and head on home. I closed up early since someone can’t keep a lid on his temper and I was just about to sell three full boxes of Mermaid Locks!”

Orion’s hand shoots out before he can stop himself, gripping Hadrian’s hand desperately. “I’ll owl my dads. Maybe they can do something about this. You don’t have to leave.”

“It’s only for a week,” Hadrian says smiling at him. His eyes lack judgment, warming with appreciative affection. At the sight, something in Orion calms. “I’ll be back then and it’s not like I can’t owl you three. I just wish you won’t be eating alone.”

Before he could respond Malfoy speaks up “Black will be sitting at the Slytherin table in your absence. He is from an Ancient and Noble House. It only makes sense he sits with those of his level instead of the common trash”

The blond looks self-satisfied before his eyes widen and he quickly adds “The Evans are an exception of course.”

“Of course” Will gives a crooked grin. (next to him, Orion hears Diggory choke) “It’s good you have such great friends Orion.”

The werewolf hadn’t even been aware they were friends but…over the last few days he _has_ spent a lot of time around Malfoy and his group of friends- Zabini and Nott allowed it after learning Hadrian’s talent in Ancient Runes.- so maybe that made them friends? In all honesty, the only one he considered himself that close to was Hadrian.

But…having more people to count on sounded…nice.

“U-Ugh what-store-?” Clearing his throat Diggory tries again “What store are you guys talking about?”

“Hm? Oh, Dimension Hoppers. I own it.” Will says. Diggory eyes widen to dinner plates.

“You own-but-but that store is one of the most successful in the current market! My dad says they sell rare _Dragon_ related potion ingredients!”

“We do?” Hadrian asks looking up at his brother. Orion hadn’t been aware of this either.

“Sure do. Three days after you left, the final Weasly boy came into the shop. He offered a deal. We help fund that Romania dragon sanctuary of his in exchange for whatever they can get off the dragons. We get nails, scales and even drool without the danger of hunting the beasts ourselves for merchandise. I thought it was a good deal. Can’t believe no one’s ever thought about it honestly.”

Marlin, the Evans are going to be so rich in a few years, they may as well be their own Noble House. Orion is not the only one gapping but the brothers wave it off, and then they are walking away bickering about prices leaving behind three stun teenage boys.

It’s almost as if they don’t realize how utterly…cryptic-like they are!

Malfoy pulls himself together first, face dusted in pink. “Why must they get more and more impressive?”

“I-don’t-what?” Diggory babbles still in the middle of that sexual panic to be much use. 

The blond eyes him for a second then nods his head with a very un-pureblood snort. “Calm down. They do that a lot.”

Orion sighs as Diggory looks confused. “Do what a lot?”

Malfoy waves a general hand around them “This. Make you gay.”

“I’m not-! At least I don’t think…” Diggory shakes his head “No I’m definitely not. I’ve never been..like that. I’m only interested in girls.”

Both Orion and Malfoy shoot him looks but let the boy live in denial. He’s obviously not ready to hear about bisexuality yet. 

The three move down the hallway in awkward silence, none knowing how to break into a conversation without Hadrian. 

Unknown to them a fourth male was listening in from behind the headmaster’s door- warded so Orion’s sense of smell couldn’t pick him up- and he slumps in place. 

Gently he touches his broken nose, heart racing. “ Evans can pack a punch for someone so small…who knew someone so angry can be so pretty…”

In his dorm packing up his books in order to not fall behind in classes, Hadrian shivers as if something dreadful just happened. He doesn’t know why, but something tells him it’s because of his annoying counterpart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credic is having a sexual panic.  
All ships are one-sided (besides Jily and Wolfstar of course)  
Talk-Shit-Get-Hit-Fall-In-Love  
Fear the Evans Wrath


	5. Part 5 Bonus: Will Evans and The Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Check-in on Will

Remus glances up from where he’s organizing the wand holsters to where Will is casually conversing with a young witch that have stopped to ask about curse-breaking.

Ever since Hadrian and Orion went off to Hogwarts, he found himself helping out at the store. Dimension Hoppers got a sudden boom in customers after word got out they now stocked Dragon potion ingredients.

Those people that came for the ingredients found themselves lingering for other things as well. Not that anyone could blame them. It wasn’t every day you found a store with almost everything you would need at reasonable prices, at least not in the magical world.

Remus often spent his time making sure Will wasn’t overworking himself since the young man had yet to hire more help. Most afternoons were busy, but Wednesdays were just a bit slow enough for the two of them to go about and do inventory.

The young man either didn’t notice or wasn’t paying attention the attempts to flirt with him. It was hard to tell someday if the Evans were truly oblivious or not, because while neither boy was lacking in book smart, common sense seemed a bit…out there for them. 

Hadrian couldn’t see the effect he had on others, his charisma so high, it wouldn’t be too hard for him to take over the world if he wanted to. Will, on the other hand, seemed a little more aware of his charisma but he was more mellow. Leaning on the side of dotting, Will tend to attract people for his “brotherly” persona rather than his younger brother’s “strong leader”.

Remus rolls his eyes when the witch gentle touches Will’s arm. She leans forward, twirling a lock of her hair going for coy in the way she bats her eyelashes. The werewolf wants to tell her it’s hopeless, seeing as Will only has eyes for Bill as far as he has seen. 

(If the Evans could hear his thoughts Will would hurl and Hadrian would never stop laughing)

The young man blinks at her, glances down at her hand and then very politely declined an invitation for dinner with a quick “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m married” 

The witch removes herself from him like she’s been burn, fluster as she pays for her things. She all but ran out the door with Will shaking his head. That was the third person he rejected this week.

Finishing fixing the shelf, Remus walks up to him amused more then he should be. Taking on a teasing tone the werewolf leans on the counter. “I didn’t know you were married, Will. Who’s the lucky person?”

“I _was_ married,” Will says eyes just a tab bit sad. Instantly, Remus stiffens up, his teasing smile falling right off his face. There was grief in the boy’s voice that alarms him. He had thought it was a lie to get out of an unwanted dinner, not for it to be true. “My wife died and I just can’t seem to…well, I’m not really looking for a relationship right now.”

Marlin’s beard, Will is a widower? Remus felt like he just rubbed salt into the Evans’ wounds. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea-”

“It’s alright,” Will says but his eyes aren’t meeting him and the young man’s shoulders are tense. The werewolf feels distressed squeeze his heart at the lingering sorrow in his voice. How many people has this poor man lost?

He’s too young to be suffering this much. The store descended into silence, Remus unsure what to say while Will gathers himself. He thinks back to all the times Sirius teased him about Bill, and mentally kicks himself for not noticing how it must have been affecting Will. 

He’ll have to talk with his husband. This was another thing they have to keep an eye out for. If they were ever to lose any of the Evans boys to their grief Remus would never forgive himself.

Taking a shattering breath Will finally looks up at him. Offering a wobbly smile, the wizard throws his dark wild hair over his shoulder. “It’s alright really. I’m…getting better. My wife wouldn’t want me to wallow in sorrow. She always used to tell me to find new love if anything ever happens to her. She was a firecracker like that.”

The next smile that crosses his face is fond and longing in equal parts before Will finishes, “I’m just rather focused on Hadrian right now.” 

Remus can’t trust his voice but he nods, reaching out to pat the strong shoulder in what he hopes is a comfort. He gets a flash of a grateful smile before the boy turns, throwing a quick “I got to unbox some valentine day cards. Be right back” over said shoulder.

The werewolf finds himself alone. With nothing else to do, he walks around the store fixing displays absentmindedly. Once he does, Remus returns to the counter, glancing in worry at the small hallway that leads to the Evans’ residence.

It’s been far too long for Will to be retrieving the new shipment of holiday specials. He half wonders if Will actually floo to Hogwarts to collect his wayward brother again. 

He still a bit shocked that a good manner, even temper, Hadrian got suspended so early in the year but Remus couldn’t stop being happy about it. Yes, it was terrible that fuading teenagers had to result to fists throwing but Hadrian had gotten suspended for standing up for _Orion. _

Hadrian Evans had turned out to be the answer to all of their prayers for their son. Orion finally had friends, sure they were mostly Slytherin but the times they visit him during the full moon, his son had been more open and cheerful then he had for months. 

Durning Orion first year, they always found the boy laying in the medical bay alone and miserable among the medical beds. Remus always felt terrible to see his little one so down having spent the day before in bed.

But that was last year, now Orion didn’t spend his day lonely. 

Usually, his medical bed was surrounded by Hadrian, Draco, Blaise, Theodore, Cedric, and Luna. Remus remembered the first time he stumbles across the scene of Orion sitting in the middle of the group smiling as Luna made Draco turn an interesting shade of red and all the while Hadrian leaning into his son’s side with a smile.

Sirius had held onto Remus, his silver eyes were glossy, as the pair watch their child exchange banter with the rest of the children before the kids had to leave for class. 

It was almost like his first terrible year had been all but forgotten and Remus couldn’t help but thank the stars and any god willing to listen. 

To think all this because Hadrian saw his boy on the street had experienced his first puppy love. It was downright adorable sometimes to watch the two fumble around their feelings. 

“Remus!” Will shouts from behind him snapping the older man from daydreaming his only son’s wedding day. 

“What is it? Are you alright?” Remus all but runs upstairs only to stop when he sees Will laughing into his hands. He’s holding a letter and Hadrian’s owl is sitting on the table. Seeing he’s alright, the werewolf calms down but is curious when the other starts wheezing. 

He takes the letter when prompted, reading it quickly and raising a brow at what it contains.

“Isn’t that hilarious!?” Will gasps out. “What do I even tell him? He thinks Orion and Draco are allergic to him!”

Remus’ lips twitch. “ I’m guessing Hadrian never had someone have a crush on him? He listed symptoms that could be confusing.”

Will explodes into more laughter before he mimics Hadrian’s voice. “_Red faces, rapid heartbeats, and odd breathing. I fear that I’m giving Orion and Draco allergics. Would you mind sending different shampoo or soap_?_ Maybe then they can be near me._ Marlin! He’s acting like a little kid!” 

The werewolf wonders if he can delicately remind Will that Hadrian is actually a little kid so him being confused about crushes should be expected. Then a terrifying thought springs to his mind. 

“Will, have you given Hadrian the Talk?” 

Will freezes then he looks thoughtful and sure. “Actually Remus I haven’t. I’m not even sure how to start…would you mind helping me with that? It’s not that I don’t want to give it to him but I think he’ll listen better to someone older.”

Not seeing the downright evil look in the green eyes Remus nods “Oh yes don’t worry. Sirius and I already spoke to Orion. We can talk to Hadrian the next full moon for you.”

Supporting Will was only one way they could repay the Evans after all. 

“Thank you, Remus. You have no idea how much this will mean to me. May I ask for some photos?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remus lowkey wants Orion to mary Hadrian  
While the boys at Hogwarts, Will is busy at work  
Will is still in love with Fleur but she's a child now and he can't think of her as the woman he loved


	6. Chapter 6: Polyjuice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian makes enemies for being friends with Slythrians first

Neville watched as Black and Evans walked around the courtyard with narrow eyes, keeping himself out of sight ( and hopefully out of smell/hearing range as well) behind a second-floor pillar near a window. Evans was saying something that might have been humorous if Blacks quirking smile and shaking shoulders were any indications.

It was still mind-blogging to see Black _laugh. _Neville could count how many times he saw the Black Heir openly laugh throughout their five-year feud and still have some fingers left over. 

Sure, the werewolf didn’t show much emotion around crowds but over the time in which the Golden Trio has been stalking them, he’s gotten glimpses of broad smiles and chuckles that he hadn’t been aware of the other male could even do. (Wasn’t that just a nauseating thought? Neville had to remind himself that Black was Potter’s partner in crime otherwise he fell like a monster for allowing that to happen)

And it was all due to the student with the highest possibility of being the Heir of Slytherin.

Neville didn’t mean to suspect the new transfer, really he didn’t, but ever since Halloween students people have been getting petrified left and right with no leads on who it could possibly be. Ron had been the first one to point out just how _convenient_ it was that Evans arrived this year with a werewolf _and_ a trio of Slytherins of all things at his side. 

More so how utterly calm he was when the first attacked happened. No one could be that unaffected by such an event unless they knew about it beforehand in his friend’s words.

Hermione was still on the fence about that theory seeing as Evans didn’t sound like a Pureblood name, which means it was highly unlike he was attacking other muggle-born students but she did admit he could be a Halfblood who had terrible morals regarding muggle-borns and out of everyone he seemed to be the only student smart enough to pull it off.

Neville could agree. One had to be completely unaware of everything around them to not notice just how advance the second year was. He excelled at nearly all his classes with frustrating ease, dazzling all the teachers with his brilliant mind and his ability to finish homework packets in one night instead of the week it took others. 

He also has uncanny charisma.

The first time they spoke face to face, Neville had watch his green eyes travel up to his forehead taking in the lightning scar. He expected the other boy to turn in a fumbling fanboy but instead Evans had stuck out his hand, introduced himself and acted as if though The-Boy-Who-Lived title meant absolutely nothing.

To him, Neville Longbottom was just Neville Longbottom, nothing more, nothing less.

It was a refreshing change. 

Evans then took this wonderful change a step further, having noticed Creevy chasing Neville around with his horrid muggle camera during one of their shared classes. The muggle-born apparently got a kind but firm talking to about invading Neville’s privacy from the Hufflepuff and the kid actually listen enough to even apologize to the Griffindor’s face. 

If Evans didn’t keep such troubling company, maybe they could have even been friends. But Ron was right. Just because Evans didn’t seem to be on Potter’s side - that wonderful nose breaking fight at the beginning of the year came to mind whenever he needed a smile- didn’t mean he could be trusted. The redhead claim that he knew something was off about the transfer the moment he shopped at his family store. 

_He watches you _Ron had said during Evans’ sorting _He keeps track of everything you do, the bloody creep._

If one of his best friends didn’t trust the Hufflepuff then Neville would be wary of him too. He hadn’t been all that suspicious of him _being _the Heir until Colin Creevy turned up petrified. When he was found the first year had been clutching a bowl of grapes and an envelope addressed to Evans.

No one but the green eye teen knows what was inside that envelope. 

Then after an argument in the dueling club where Justin Finch-Fletchley had repeated some less then favorable words regarding werewolves in Evans’ earshot the boy was discovered petrified in the hallway alongside Nearly Headless Nick who had invited Evans to his Death Party. 

if all the victims were connected to Evans then it only made sense that he was the Heir running around hurting people. Neville just had to prove it. 

“Come on,” Ron says looking down the hallway from his right making sure no one was around. Lowering his voice he contuined “Hermione has the polyjuice ready. If we’re going to do this, we need to do it now.”

The two boys quickly made their way to the girls’ bathroom, ducking in quickly with the pieces of hair they managed to steal off of Zabini and Nott (Neither could get close enough to Malfoy). Hermione had stolen some from a first-year Ravenclaw that Evans like to talk to even though the girl was a loon.

“We have one hour” Hermione warns them once she completed the potions. “Evans usually spends his free period reading Ancient Runes books on the third-floor window sill waiting for Black’s class to be over. Its the only time he’s alone.”

“Right. All we have to do is get him to confuse to being the Heir but Evans is smart. Don’t be too pushy or he’ll figure out something is wrong” Neville says looking at his best friends, “He’s dangerous and I don’t want you getting hurt.” 

The three chugged their potions in separate stales, emerging after minutes of gagging and changing. They eyed each other for a moment in wonder at the fact that it works before quickly making their way up to the third floor. Zabini is taller then Neville, everything from his point of view looks different and it was downright bizarre to be able to see over people’s heads. 

He hopes he can be this tall someday because while strange, it’s cool to be _tall._

Finally, he spots Evans. The Hufflepuff is right where Hermione said he be, casually reading an Advance Runes Academic Journal that was recently published with a content little smile. Next to him, on the window sill are papers and an open muggle notebook. 

He didn’t seem like a sociopath but they never do, do they? 

Neville opens his mouth to greet the other second year as much as Zabini fashion as he could. But he doesn’t get the chance to make a sound since the book is snap close in an instant. 

Evans looks up sharply at them when they approach. It’s such an intense stare the three stumble a little and his green eyes feel like fire. For a moment, Neville feels like he’s a fumbling foot soldier standing before a war-general and he’s lacking in anything intelligent to say.

Ron-as-Nott makes a nervous noise that sounds shockingly like the real deal when he asks. “Is something wrong Evans?” 

It seems to be the right thing to do since Evans relaxes smiling at them in …amusement? “No nothing at all. Sorry, _Theo_ you just surprised me, is all. Why aren’t you in class?”

“I wanted to chase the Crumple-Horned Snorkack,” Hermione-as-Luna says airly having thought up her excuse long before Ron and Neville. Both boys were just going to claim to need the bathroom or something. “I saw them run this way. Have you seen them, Hadrian?”

Delight blooms on the transfer’s face. “No, I didn’t see where they went, _Luna_. But we can try looking for them together if you want? It’s not a good idea to run off by yourself what with the attacks and all.”

Oh boy. He’s brought up the attacks so quickly! This might be easier then he thought. 

“We don’t have to worry about that now do we?” Neville-as-Zabini tried to say as snobby as he could. He’s never heard the other boy speak in anything other then a stuck up tone though to be fair Blaise Zabini didn’t really talk. He was quite like Black. 

Evans’ face twitches. It’s difficult to say what the ripple of emotion going through his expression is but Neville is almost positive it’s straight-up amusement. He then dips his chin with a soft hum. “You might not think so _Blaise_, but whoever is attacking people seems to be going after anyone alone. It’s better safe than sorry.”

What?

“If you say so,” Ron says rolling his eyes like Nott does when a teacher lectures the snakes on something. “I just don’t want to go back to class anytime soon. I hate this block.”

“I thought Charms was your favorite class Thoe?” Evans says with a raised brow. 

“I-it is! I just…today lesson is boring that’s all. I already know it and I can’t understand why we waste time going over it again and again” Ron tries to cover his mistake. “Probably because of those Gryffindorks.”

Neville wants to slap his forehead but that’s not something he thinks Zabini would do. Next to him, Hermione shifts around, playing with a lock of Lovegood’s hair and tilting her head upwards as if though she was seeing the creature the strange blond claim she saw. 

Evans smiles. “That makes sense. Also, I thought we agree you wouldn’t be using that word anymore.”

Ron blinks in confusion so Evans tacks on “Gryffindorks. We agree you stop using it.”

Right this conversation was really going off the rails, time to get everyone back on track because they didn’t have time to go over the fact Evans apparently tried to get the Slytherins to stop using certain words. That was a thought for another time. 

Maybe one where Neville wasn’t feeling bad that Evans was evil because he seemed like an okay kind of bloke.

“Do you really think we be in danger?” Neville asks scoffing at the end of his words. “Especially you Evans?”

“I might not be muggle-born, Blaise, but being Half-blood still puts me in danger,” Evans answers mildly. He is cleaning up his stuff which allows the Golden Trio to trade confuse looks behind his back. “My mom being muggle-born might be close enough to attempt to petrified me.” 

“Your mom is a muggle-born?” Hermione blurts confuse then quickly realizes she needs to act loonier so she adds “Did that mean she was surrounded by nugglerals?” 

Evans looks over his shoulder at them as he swings on his shoulder bag “Yes. Before she died”

“Oh.”

There is a pause before Ron seems to want to move on. “Do you think they deserve it? Those M-mudbloods?”

He only stumbles over the word a little but Evans still turns around with a glare that could freeze over hell. “I _just_ told you my mom was a muggle-born and you _dare _to use that word?”

Oh, Merlin, they’re going to die. Evans is pissed and it’s _terrifying._ Neville barely holds back a whimper as the other boy marches towards them with death in his eyes but he walks by them with a huff. Ron, who had frozen up in terror, relax with a sigh of relief.

The Hufflepuff leaves without a single word, his anger quite and cold. For some reason, Neville feels sick to his stomach as if though he just upset Gran.

“I think that didn’t go as well as we hope” Hermione sighs. 

“No.” He agrees, hand over his stomach “No it didn’t”

Three days later Orion Black releases a noise that sounds very close to a wounded and outrage animal when Hadrian Evans’ body is found curved over Luna Lovegood’s terrified expression in an obvious attempt to shield her from whatever petrified them. 

It’s a good thing he did, because, according to Hermione she would have died the moment a second later for looking into a Basilisk’s eyes unprotected. Thank goodness she was able to piece it together and the Trio was able to find the real culprit soon after that.

Who knows what would have happened to Ginny if they were a few days too late?

The werewolf is the one that sniffs out Ginny for them, as the Golden Trio is forced to create a shaky alliance with the teen who is determined to avenge his pack. Hadrian is apparently the only person outside his parents that Black counts as pack and it doesn’t take Neville long to realize it’s due to his crush on his best friend. It breaks his heart a little to see Black’s devastated eyes when they visit the victims in the medical wing. 

He fights against Tom Riddle just as wild and as vicious as his condition makes him.

Neville can only hope they all come out of this alive. He can’t die without apologizing to Evans for deceiving him. Especially after finding out Evans had been doing his best to defend the Boy-Who-Live against the other houses who thought he was the Heir. 

Orion kicks Tom Riddle between the legs as hard as he can sneering and Neville can’t find it in himself to even wince. That werewolf strength makes the crack sound and the scream from mini-Voldemort all that much more satisfying.

** **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neville's POV  
Yes, I know Hadrian would have been able to beat the Basilisk but that would mean Luna would die and he can't let that happen.  
16-year-old Tom Riddle is not prepared for pissed off werewolf  
Hadrian knew who they were based on foot-steps


	7. Part 7: Draco's Pov

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Draco's crush on Hadrian came to be. Set before Orion found the shop. Also, I took liberties with the Malfoy’s family background because I have problems with HC and impulse control.

Draco Malfoy is biracial.

His family is French on his father’s side and British on his mother’s. 

He hates it, not that he’s a mixed-race as his parents married for love as much as they married for political convenience and he’s _proud _to be mixed race, but he often feels like he’s pretending.

Pretending to be British.

Pretending to be French.

He speaks his father’s language but he doesn’t celebrate all of his father’s traditions. Some summers they go over to visit his father’s sister and her children. These trips are equal parts of joy and anxiety in the young Malfoy heir. 

When he goes over to visit his cousins, they turn their noses up at his accent, his word choice and his aunt always makes one or two comments about him “thinking he’s too good to be a proper Frenchmen” if he so much as fumbles with his words. 

It’s not that he means to stumble or forget a few words here or there. It’s just that sometimes his mind goes blank when trying to think of what something is called and she takes it as him not being proud of speaking french. 

He doesn’t. He loves that part of himself, but it’s hard to use it when he lives in England and raised in England and has an English mother.

He celebrates his mother’s traditions, speaks her tongue and feels more comfortable as he is often surrounded by her side of the family, but he sometimes mentions something or says something that has his playmates (Politics start from a young age, allies must be formed) confuse until someone realizes “Oh that’s a French thing right?” and he’s left wondering if he would fit better in France instead.

He doesn’t_ show_ his uncertainty, he has a reputation to uphold after all, but it doesn’t stop the confusion and the worry that’s just pretending to be something he not. He’s ashamed that he fails both sides of his culture.

Yet he loves both sides as well. Draco some days loves one side a little more. Take, for example, his favorite sport.

He doesn’t support the English National Quidditch team, he supports the French one. He loves their plays, loves their team colors, loves the players and most of all love that he can understand when they yell out instructions to each other as a sense of pride rush his chest each and every time. 

There just something warming about knowing when one of the players screams _“Pass! Pass! Watch your left!”. _It means differently somehow. He’s tried to explain it once before to Theo and Blaise but it’s like trying to explain color to someone who can’t see the same shades as he can. 

The French National Quidditch Team is his favorite because it lets him celebrate a part of himself with the worry of failing, that’s all there is to it.

It’s downright impossible to find any of their merchandise unless he hopes over to that country himself, which is a shame. His father makes sure to always get him the newest merch but sometimes the family just doesn’t have time to go hunting for a new jersey on vacation. 

They have a schedule the noble families need to keep even when they should be relaxing. 

He’s a bloody hound dog when it comes anything he may not already have and his parents don’t mind getting it for him if he can find it. This is why the day Draco walks by a store he only needs to catch the pale blue out of the corner of his eyes before he’s nearly pressing his face against the store’s window.

He’s never actually seen this store before, but there is a section dedicated to Quidditch and more importantly, there is a snitch painted in the French flag hanging right in front of it!

Draco doesn’t stop to think as he rounds the window and is pushing the door open in one quick and fluid movement. Cheerful chimes echo through the building while he makes a beeline for the snitch, as he gets closer he realizes with a start that it’s not just the snitch. 

There is an entire shelf filled to the brim with his team’s merchandise. Sure he has most of it already, but this is _Diagon Alley_. It’s the first store he’s seen in this place with good taste!

If Draco was prone to such pathetic displays he would be bouncing up and down in joy. He settles for browsing with a please smile instead, making sure to not bend his neck too much least he embarrasses his upbringing. 

A box of rings catches his eyes, as they are shaped in the four balls of the game and the light blue and white Snitch ring is really calling out to his inner Seeker. Just as his fingers pull the metal out of it’s holding a throat is cleared behind his back.

“Excuse me, but we aren’t open for business quite yet.” 

Turning around Draco comes face to face with a small boy that could be around his age if he ignored how tiny he is. He’s wearing some horrid muggle clothes but his poster is perfect, with a dignified aura around him. Besides his memorizing green eyes, however, the stranger is rather plain in the face. 

“I beg your pardon?” Draco all but sneers, raising a brow. He seems weak, like those first-year Hufflepuffs and the Malfoy plans on making him regret speaking to him. 

The green-eyed boy doesn’t even bat an eye. He even offers a polite smile, without an ounce of judgment or falsehood.

“I said we aren’t open for business yet. Our opening day isn’t until next month I’m afraid.” He waves his hand, gesturing to the rest of the room. It’s at this moment that Draco realizes with a jolt that the store is half empty. The entire left side of the place doesn’t even have shelves yet. “We just had the front of the store visible so the magical inspectors could give us the Ministry permit to sell magical items in this building. After they finish their walkthrough, the store is going back to being Unnoticed until opening day.”

Draco’s cheeks burn with embarrassment. Of course, he’s never seen this store before, he should have been aware that he missed its grand opening. He just marched right in like a child from a lower class. 

He lets the ring go, attempting to retreat gracefully. “I apologize for my trespassing.”

Green eyes smile widens turning less polite and more friendly. It’s quite startling. “No harm is done. Do you like the French Team?”

“Yes. They are the only team with any sort of talent.” He’s not going to lie now. It’s obvious with the way his hand is still curled around the ring. He expects the boy to get huffy but instead, he merely tilts his head.

“They are quite good. Their Chasers are one of the world’s best. Blitzen Ballet is one of my favorite moves.” 

Draco’s eyes light up. “It’s a brilliant move! The amount of control and teamwork required is why they are the best. ”

“It is. I’m Evans. Hadrian Evans” Then much to Draco’s shock the boy holds out his hand, making sure to have it lower slowly after extending his arm so that his fingertips match up to his stomach. 

This means he knows that Draco is of higher standing but respects him none the less. Does Hadrian know proper Pureblood customs? 

Eyeing the hand for only a moment Draco takes it. “I’m Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Hadrian says shaking his hand twice before turning over his palm so Draco’s ends up on top. Another Pureblood custom, one that the only nobility uses. How odd.

“Indeed.” He responds. After letting go, Draco attempts to get away least he embarrassed his family name even more. Moving around Evans he starts to mumble under his breath in French. “_How utterly troll of me to not notice the store isn’t ready yet.”_

“_It happens to the best of us. Don’t worry about it_.” Hadrian says following him. Draco actually stumbles forward, and a hand closes around his elbow to keep him steady so he doesn’t topple over.”

“_You speak French!_?” 

“_Yes.” _ Evans seems far too amuse causing Draco to scowl. “_Here you forgot your ring.”_

_“What?” _Evans gently takes his right hand and slips on the snitch ring he had been eyeing. Draco practically turns to stone until the other steps back smiling at him with that same magically damn smile. “_Consider yourself our first sale.”_

_“I don’t need your…your…” _Draco’s minds draw a blank, he can’t remember the word in french and shame quickly leaks into every inch of his body. Lamely he finished in English. “Charity. I don’t need it.”

“It’s not. It’s our first sale. That’ll be one sickle.” Evans says not batting an eye at his broken french. Draco likes him a little for it. 

“I thought you _weren’t_ open for business yet. Surely you won’t twist your own words minutes after uttering them. Why what would the owners say?” 

“We aren’t but my brother won’t mind. Don’t worry I won’t get in trouble.” Evans says lightly and suddenly he smiling in odd fondness with a touch of bewilderment. 

The Malfoy doesn’t know what to say. This was the first time someone had been able to break apart his words to find their meaning and seeing his real emotions beneath them. Draco almost felt naked at that moment, vulnerable in a way he wasn’t used to and he wasn’t sure he enjoyed it.

Suddenly he wants to leave, to put as much space as he could between himself and this odd wizard. Fishing out a sickle he all but thrust it into the other hand. 

“Your french is lovely by the way,” Evans says pocketing the money. “I’m glad I meet someone who speaks it right away. I need to practice the language a little more.”

Draco can only blink at him. “It’s not perfect.”

“No. But it’s still lovely.” He’s not lying. Draco can’t find a single trace of a lie on Evans’s face. There isn’t even an effort to get on his good side with empty flattery. This is….the first time someone has been so nice to him without having a secret agenda 

“Thank you, Evans.” He manages after a while. 

“Call me Hadrian and you’re welcome.”

Wrinkling his nose Draco huffs “I think not. We are not acquainted enough for me to call you by your first name Evans.”

“If it makes you uncomfortable-”

“Malfoys don’t get uncomfortable.” 

Evans chuckles amusement edge into all of his body language. “Alright. How about we hang out sometime so we can be acquainted enough for first names?”

Draco considers the idea, tempted to say now but so far, he can admit that he’s interested. Besides…it would be nice to have someone he’s age speak his second language without any judgment. “Do you have an owl?”

“Yes.”

“Then we can owl each other the next time we are free and determine the place of our outing.” Draco half expects him to pull a face like many others do. But he’s quickly finding out Evans isn’t like many others.

Instead, Evans actually looks at him with such fondness mixed with a longing that it makes a healthy blush bloom across Malfoy’s face. “_Strategizing our plan of attack then_?”

“_But of course. Only a fool rushes in without a plan. My family always has a schedule._” 

Evans smiles at him. “_Then I believe you will be better at planning it out. I’m free this whole next week since my brother has to do all the bureaucracy stuff that I’m not a part of_.”

Trading some contact information, Draco is quickly leaving the store, making sure his strides are long and confident. He doesn’t glance back once even if he has the impulse to do so. He can feel Evan’s eyes on his back and he straightens up just a bit. 

He twirls the snitch ring on his hand a little watching it spin while thinking of this very odd outing he somehow got roped into planning and the even odder wizard he may have just befriended. 

_I’m going mad. _He thinks after finding his father and showing off his new ring. _I actually want to see him again._

For the rest of the month, he meets up with Evans five more times and each time the other wizard insists on being called Hadrian. Draco refuses to do it on principle alone. It’s humorous. 

The pleasantly surprising thing about Evans is that he doesn’t seem to mind any of the prejudice pre-concessions people have. 

He doesn’t care Draco’s a Malfoy (He wasn’t after anything the Malfoy name could offer be it riches or political power), or that his dad was an accused Death eater (According to Evans, a father’s action weren’t a reflection or burden of a son’s) or that Draco was Slytherin (Which may have something to do with Evans missing out the first year).

According to Evans, Draco Malfoy was just Draco Malfoy. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Exactly one week before the store Dimmionsion Hoppers (A name Older Evans and Younger Evans agreed upon thought why they thought it ironic he wasn’t sure) was to open officially, Draco’s father had announced they would be going over to France for the remainder of the summer.

For the first time, Draco was torn between being excited to go and throwing a tantrum on wanting to stay. He was really enjoying Evan’s company it seemed. A little too much if his mother’s teasing smirk was anything to go by. 

She _was_ the one taking him so much to Diagon Alley, of course, she would notice why. 

“We can still owl each other and we’ll be seeing each other at Hogwarts anyway,” Evans said pleasantly over his ice-cream cone. Draco hated how attractive this plain wizard is suddenly turning and he has to look away in order to breath properly. 

“Finally convinced your brother that a proper education could only be found at the best school hm?”

“Yeah, he thought homeschooling was the way to go but I finally broke him.” 

Draco twirls his ring while bitting back a goofy smile. Malfoys don’t smile like love-struck fools. At least not before marriage. “I suppose I could agree to owling for the remainder of the summer if you want to so badly.”

Hadrian laughed. “It’s a deal then. We’ll keep each other updated on what’s going on yeah?”

The ring that is still on his hand- he’s only taken it off to sleep and shower- feels warm all the way to France with him.

The first letter that arrived had Draco fuming however and his mother had to cover her mouth in an effort to shift a laugh while his father just fondly rolled his eyes.

The Malfoy Heir didn’t notice his parents’ reaction as he paced his aunt’s guest sitting room in a huff. “Who the heck is he working with to make Evans sound this happy?! He should be honored he knows me! Not some low-income commoner!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hadrian is a heart breaker because he treats everyone like old pals.  
Draco's parents low-key think it's cute  
Thus how Draco's puppy love was born


	8. Part 8: Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Can you show us, Harry, getting jealous of Orion because Hadrian pays him more attention? And a picnic with the whole family"

The picnic is an unofficial tradition that started sometime in the last magical war. Maybe it was to left their spirts in dreadful times, maybe it was a show of defiance against the blood supremacists’ fear tactics or maybe as the Weasley twins put it, the picnic was just an excuse the adults needed to relax and have a bit of fun.

Whatever the case, the picnic happens every spring, when the weather grew warmer and the grass returns from its frosted slumber, dressing the ground in brilliant green. They always rented a little space in the forest of Dean’s camping sights.

It wasn’t much but it had muggle repealing wards, along with warming charms and offered some picnic tables. It was also in a clearing in the middle of the woods, allowing the sun to peek down on them, with enough trees to hide any that wished to fly their brooms.

Harry wasn’t one to normally notice this but today that sunlight was resting in Hadrian Evans’ hair like a glowing crown and it was distracting. So terribly distracting.

He had to force himself to notice_ nature _just so he wouldn’t be caught staring at Evans. This silly infatuation he’s developed for the other boy since the beginning of the year was rapidly getting out of control. 

Everything Evans did only made it worse, but most especially whenever the other boy lost his temper. He was light a firework bursting in sudden colorful flames that left him feeling awe in the glory of it. Harry was beyond frustrated about that fact. 

He’s tried to talking to Evans after the incident, but the other avoided him like a plague, choosing _Orion o_ver him. That’s never happened before. The more Harry pushed to get his attention away from the mutt the more of Evans’ beautiful fury he saw- which on one hand was good and on the other, it wasn’t.

As the year progressed, Evans started to get closer to the Slytherin and the Golden Trio (but that was more after Evans was un-petrified and Longbottom’s guilt drove him to seek the green eye boy out). Not to mention Diggory and Lovegood, who was often spotted with the group as well.

It was darn near impossible to get close to Evans. Harry was slowly losing his mind, whining to Dean and Seamus over his newest problems. His friends weren’t much help, seeing as they never had a significant other either, but they listen to him anyway. 

His dad thought it was hilarious and even his mom couldn’t fight back the twitch of her lips when Harry let some of the love problems become verbal to them the first time. Though he never said the name of the boy and his parents were old aware of his crush being, male, dark wild hair, and green eyes. 

They must have guessed correctly since his Dad kept sending him teasing smirks whenever they passed by Dimension Hoppers during the Easter holidays. 

Since they both knew about his maybe-crush (could he call it that?) they were quick to agree when Sirius asked to invite the Evans boys to the yearly picnic. Harry had overheard Evans mention his big brother before but he never actually met the man properly (The meeting after the fight was spent with him more worried about his nose and the sudden realization how pretty Evens is to really pay attention to the oldest)

When the pair of brothers arrived, Harry had almost forgotten how to breathe. Walking towards them almost in slow motion, the Evans brothers were wearing muggle shorts and muscular shirts, both laughing at something the other had said, and honestly who gave them the_ right_ to look like that!? Who gave them the right to wear something like _that_ while looking like_** that?**_! 

He’s a half-blood himself but he preferred robes since his mother didn’t really go visit the muggle world. He couldn’t understand how muggles were so comfortable in those restricting clothes. Especially those near his age, they were always wearing something bright or stupid on their clothing. 

Often times, they were fitted like a second skin and quite frankly didn’t do a lot of them favors. Nothing beats the flowing elegance of robes, highlighting the possibility of a body in Harry’s opinion. 

It certainly didn’t do the mutt any favors. 

Harry had thought Orion looked ridiculous in those muggle pants and printed shirt, the words “Moon-Walking away from my problems” in bright silver on black made the muggle shirt that much more hideous.

That was until Evans’ whole face brighten when he saw it. “You’re wearing the shirt I got you!”

The mutt had looked as embarrassed but pleased as Harry has ever seen him. “It’s hilarious”

“I know right?” 

Evans had barely given Harry’s best set of robes (something he wore in hopes of getting some kind of the green eyes boy’s attention) a glance, instead of talking about more “one-liners” he was planning on putting on shirts for Orion. The werewolf looked like he would kill to wear them. 

Maybe, it was time for a change in his wardrobe. 

It’s been a few hours, maybe two at most, since they started the picnic, the food was slowly being cooked under the watchful of Uncle Remus. Werewolf he is, but the man was the best at outside cooking spells. Must be all those years he spent on the streets like the rest of his kind.

The other adults had all pulled around the spell pit, some of them levitating some meat over the magical flame and chatting. Will easily join in with them, a cup of fire whiskey in his hand, filled but untouched. The man’s wild mane of hair stood out among the adults for its youthful shine as he told jokes and conversed.

His dad and Uncle Sirius hadn’t stopped laughing since he opened his mouth while his mom kept giving the eldest Evans smiles.

Since the adults were chatting the kids went off on their own. Usually, they played some games after eating, so before then the two would sit at a table where Harry would whine about the mutt being the only one around.

Now, Orion and Evens sat on the other side of the field heads bent over a muggle notebook, where Evans was drawing in a blue glitter pen. Orion would occasionally point, and add something with his own green glitter pen.

Evans’ eyes danced every time he did. 

Time went by until the two had rushed over to Will, who had waved his wand and made a box of blank white shirts appear. Harry had watched them grab some art supplies and start to fill up the white cloth with words he was too far away to see. 

At one point Evans had even introduced the werewolf to tie-dye, apparently thinking this was the best picnic activity there could be. Harry doesn’t remember seeing Orion smile so much as he dripped color on the rubber-ban bound shirt. 

A part of him long to join. But he didn’t. 

Instead, Harry asked his dad for his broom.

Harry had gotten on his house Quidditch team this year. He is a good flyer, and boys were impressed with good fliers, right? So he busted out his broom, spent a good half hour working up a sweat with daring flips and turns with the hopes of getting that same kind of reaction from Evans.

If a shirt with some stupid pointless words were enough to get his green eyes to sparkle like that then surely Harry weaving and waving in the air would have a bigger reaction?

Now here they were. Harry on one side of the picnic ground doing some circles on his broom and Evans sat on the other side sharing a book of runes with the mutt offering Orion little smiles here and there as he babbled away about the symbols. 

Evans hadn’t looked up once and Harry was starting to get discouraged. He continued to do some broom maneuvers trying to work a tricky Gryfindor formation (he really needed to practice) occasionally throwing looks in Evans direction to see if he was looking.

He wasn’t.

Harry sighs. 

“That was pretty close.” The sudden voice almost makes him fall off his broom. Looking down he sees the eldest Evans- Will- grinning up at him. 

“What?” 

“The Whirlwind Turn. You almost got it.” 

Harry raises a brow in surprise. “You know how to do it?”

“Of course. May I?”

Harry hates it when someone thinks he needs their help, and he almost tells the other male to piss off but he’s Evans’ older brother. He doesn’t think he’ll endear himself to the other boy if he’s rude to his brother. “Sure.” 

He goes to the ground handing over his broom with some hesitation. He doesn’t like it when someone who doesn’t know how to use brooms properly touches his and he’s worried the elder will be one of those fools. The doubt all melts away the second Elder Evans takes flight soaring through the air like it was born to do it.

He does the Whirlwind Turn so quickly he almost blurs on the spiral down, making Harry’s jaw drop. The Whirlwind got its name by the rapid and tight spins that one had to while going down or up, it took a large amount of skill and dedication to get it correctly but when one did, they defended or accelerated rapidly. “Wow.”

The man winks moss green at him “Want me to show you how to do it?”

Harry grins “Yeah!”

* * *

Unknown to him the adults are watching from where they are pilling plates with their meals. Sirius gives Harry a slightly cold look before elbowing James “Looks like your boy got a crush there.”

James watches Harry’s red face brighten as Will helps position correctly on the wood. “Hmm. Maybe. He was glancing over here a lot a while ago. Should I be worried?”

“Let him be,” Lily says. “It’s just a crush. It will pass.”

“Yes, besides Will is a good kid,” Remus adds, his own smile just the slightest too tight. “Nothing to worry about him. As far as I’m aware neither of the Evans boys seems aware of their admirers.”

He gives a meaningful head nod to where Orion is holding hands with Hadrian as the pair attempt to practice for the three-legged race that will commence the moment the Weasleys arrive. Hadrian didn’t seem to notice that he was giving his son a heart attack but pressing himself so close to the other, as they stumbled about with one of their legs tied together.

Both boys were covered with their tie-dyed shirts having given each other the one they made. It was so cute. He would make sure to take a picture of them soon.

This was in his opinion the best picnic so far. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry Is trying really hard to get Hadrian's attention  
Will's Weasley is showing. He sees a broom. He's got to fly  
Orion and Hadrian are low-key on a date in the corner  
James and Lily think Harry's crush is Will.


	9. Part 9: Orion's attempts of flirting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orion has come to realize he needs to get Hadrian's attention somehow. Here is how a few attempts go.

Orion double checks his room, making sure all the dust has been cleared and that every book and cranny is spotless. He has been over to Evan's flat more times then he can count but for the first time ever Hadrian would coming over to spend the afternoon here. He wanted to make a good first impression of his living space and he couldn't do that if it wasn't _clean._

Not that he wasn't welcome but usually Orion would be over at Dimension Hoppers anyway seeing as Will has hired his father full time and since Dad worked most of the day he got to accompany his parent to work.

Another bonus of working for the laid back Evans, the man didn't seem to mind their lack of babysitter- no one really applied for werewolves no matter how desperate they were for coins and it's not like his uncles could babysit all the time with their own work- happy to have his employees bring their children if needed to.

He sometimes helped around the store himself along with his best friend, other times he was upstairs playing whatever video game Hadrian purchase this time or walking around the stores of Digon Alley or just being with him and enjoying time.

Really no matter what they are doing Orion is always left breathlessly content and happy. He has always wondered why some friendships like the kind his parents had with Uncle James and Uncle Peter lasted so long while other friendships could get ruin with the misfortune of having romantic feelings for the same person. Sometimes something even less then that is enough to ruin them. Nothing like what the Marauders had who stuck with each other through thick and thin.

He used to watch other children and wonder, with a cripplingly longing, what could possibly set those kinds of friendships apart, what made them wonderful. He now knows the answer and it was Hadrian who showed him, who taught him people could be trusted, and who also taught him how to put the light back into his eyes.

Hadrian's friendship is that special kind his parents, uncle James and uncle Peter have. The true kind of friends.

They agreed to meet up during the summer as a small celebration of how long they have known each other. As of today, Orion could proudly say he's had a real true friend for a _year_. He has come a long way from the kid who dreaded the sight of his second-year letter, who was lucky enough to catch Hadrian's attention in that crowded street.

He has friends-or a group of people who tolerate him and he does them for Hadrian's sake- and he barely feels lonely. His parents have watched him transform into not quite a social butterfly because Orion is still reserve and quiet but he goes out of his way to speak now. Does his best to find a reason to smile throughout the days and they couldn't be any happier.

It's not as hard anymore. All he has to do is think of Hadrian's smile and even the darkest days seem bright.

Orion's stomach flips with butterflies he's grown used to as he pictures that breathtaking grin that Hadrian rarely shows, despite the many times he is smiling it's nothing compared to that one grin that truly shows his happiness. He has come to accept his crush on Hadrian having worked through the confusion and whirlwind of feelings his best friend inspired in him to know he wants to refer to the Hufflepuff as boyfriend rather than a best friend because Orion knows he loves Hadrian.

Beyond gratitude for his kindness though there is a heavy dose of that, beyond the blatant awe of how smart and talented the other is and beyond the excitement when he notices how pretty Hadrian is becoming even with his plain face is a burning love.

The love that he has personally seen makes Father's eyes go soft when Dad laughs even after all the years they been together.

The kind of love he has seen overtake Uncle James when a slow song plays and no matter where they are, he takes Aunt Lily's hand to drag her into a slow waltz.

He's seen real love all his life and he knows that what he feels for Hadrian is that type. It took him a year to realize the depth of his feelings but he's here now and he thinking of trying to_ do_ something about it.

It's nerve-wracking but he's not a Gryffindor for nothing.

He smooths out his bedding again making sure there are no wrinkles what so ever on the bed cover. He just finishes retucking in a corner when Father yells from downstairs. "Orion! Hadrian is here!"

And just like that his heart stops, drops, and flutters like a newborn colt learning to gallop. He doesn't yell back instead he walks out with as much grace as he can, holding his head up high as if though his hands haven't gone damp and his knees don't feel like the bones have been replaced with jelly. He finds Hadrian at the bottom of the stairway trading pleasantries with Father, glowing in only a way Hadrian can.

Sometimes Orion privately wondered if the Evans family had Veela blood in them even when he couldn't smell a drop of it in them. The glow around Hadrian certainly points at it

Hadrian turns to him as soon as he steps into the line of sight, something he's noticed his friend does. He's not even sure if Hadrian himself is aware, but those green eyes follow his movement, always turning to Orion before anyone else in the room, and if that doesn't give him ridiculous amounts of hope he doesn't know what does. "Hi, Orion."

"Hello."

There is a short pause of them staring at each other before Father pointedly tilts his chin upwards and Orion jerks out a hand. "Would you like to come up to my room and get comfortable?"

He regrets his word choice as soon as it leaves his mouth. His father coughs to cover a laugh, but thankfully Hadrian didn't see anything wrong with that question as he easily excuses himself from the older werewolf to climb up the stairs. They walk in the comfortable silence that settles around them until they arrive at his bedroom door and his nerves are nearly fried with how anxious he is for the other boy being in his room

Opening the door he braces himself for any reaction. Hadrian strolls in with a grace that is still strange to see in someone his own age, green eyes running over his things as he does so until his eyes land on the electric guitar Orion has in the corner of the room. He forgot to hide it far to used to it not being noticed. The Hufflepuff face breaks into surprised glee. "Oh! You play?"

The werewolf feels his face going hot. Yes, he does, his Dad taught him how to play guitar to bond with him when he was younger. Since Orion didn't want to go anywhere near Sirius' flying motorbike this was the next best thing his metal head of parent could do to get his son into similar things. When they had some spare time they would sit down and play together every now, and then. "Yes but I prefer acoustic."

Hadrian stares at him, tilting his head a little before an evil grin curls his lips that Orion knows means nothing good. "Aw. Is Orion embarrassed? That's so cute!"

Orion feels both irritation and joy curl in his stomach. "You think I'm cute?"

_Please, for all the magic in Merlin's core, please tell me I did **not** just say that._

"Yes," Hadrian says without a hint of shame, settling down on the edge of his bed. It's times like this he's grateful his friend is as thick as a rock. "You're adorable."

Whatever the werewolf was going to say dies in his mouth. He looks down shyly unable to keep looking at his crush on his bed who is giving him compliments. His poor heart can't take it. Hadrian chuckles. "Don't be like that. It's good to be adorable. Mind playing me something?"

"What?"

"Show me what you got rock star." The Hufflepuff says swinging his feet, too small for them to touch the floor properly from his seat. Orion swallows.

"I've only ever played for my Dad before." He admits, shuffling his feet but after one encouraging look from Hadrian has him marching over to his musical instrument and settling in the little stole next to it. He adjusts the strings a little, making sure they are properly tightened and he stung a few cords to test the sound, tilting his head down allowing his hair to curtain his face slightly.

He peeks up at Hadrian through his bangs watching the boy as he leans back on his hands eager to listen to him play. A faint memory from the corners of his mind plays briefly. When he was younger he once asked his Father what made him interested in Dad, Remus had given him a sappy look admitting fondly it was the first time he heard the Black play his guitar.

A skill he posses.

Sirius once had told Orion he had a lovely voice too.

_If Dad wasn't just being nice, then I'm musically talented too. Black genes please don't fail me now. _After all, hadn't Orion just swore to himself he would try flirting with his friend? He takes a deep breath and he plays a fast upbeat metal song that is something or another with taking down _the man_. He closes his eyes allowing himself to fall into the music, doing his best to ignore it's not Dad listening but the one's person he wants to impress most in the world.

His hands blur up and down his guitar, the pick thumps in his fingers as he twists his wrist back and forth, the song rises and falls and he chases the rhythm with his voice, beyond grateful he hasn't missed a single cord or line. The song ends on a guitar solo, one that had sweat gathering at his forehead to complete but once he did he is met with enthusiastic clapping.

Orion opens his eyes and his breath gets pushed clear out of his chest at the wonder on Hadrian's flush face. "That was _amazing_! Orion, it was utterly brilliant! I didn't know you could sing too!"

The werewolf turns beet red. "Thank you. Want to hear another one?"

"Yes!"

Orions plays a song from AC/DC, one of the first bands his Dad taught him. This time he keeps his eyes open to watch Hadrian leap onto his feet and headbang as he sways to the song, singing along. He hadn't expected the Hufflepuff to be a fan of the rock band but it makes sense in a way as the other boy sings along playing an air guitar of his own. Orion thinks _he_ is the adorable one.

When the song ends, Hadrian punches a fist into the air. "That was even better!"

"Thank you" He smiles then being a little too daring he rushes over to his closet pulling out his acoustic guitar. Excitement and adrenaline urge him on, not allowing him to stop and think before he back in the stole, Hadrian clapping enthusiastically like the excitement is an air-born drug. It's amazing and wonderful and it's only around Hadrian he feels like this.

It's not until he gets the singing that he flatters, missing the first line slightly however not enough for it to be obvious. He prays his voice doesn't tremble and curses himself for getting carried away, as the original song titled "First love" the one he wrote about the very same boy in his room falls from his lips

_Gentle tenderness_

_Leaving me speechless_

_A warmth that I thought I would never know._

_Like spring melting from snow,_

_First love, oh, darling, I love you so._

_Kiss me under the moonlight,_

_Hold me just right,_

_Show me the brilliant light_

_of your lovely soul,_

_you are the kindness I'm searching for._

_First Love, oh darling, can't you see?_

_Through those jewel eyes, so lovely,_

_You are my new greatest dream._

"Wow" Hadrian breaths when he finishes. "Orion, that was beautiful. Did you write that?"

Orion nods not trusting his voice, twisting his hands into his lap. He wants to yell it's about the most beautiful person he knows, wants to shake Hadrian until it gets through his head that he wrote that about him. The slow whisper like the way it was sung meant to represent the patient understanding of the Evan, the words of everything he ever wanted to say, and most of all the accompanying beat of his own heart to the melody created this song.

He poured everything into it.

Hadrian smiles. "I'm sure Draco will love it."

What?

"What?"

His friends wink "Don't think I haven't noticed the heated looks you two been trading lately."

Orion suddenly had the urge to break his guitar over the Hufflepuff's head. "Hadrian that is the _wrong_ kind of heat"

Before his friend could respond there is a knock at the door, and suddenly Dad is pushing the wood open carrying a tray of snack Father no doubt asked him to bring up. Or he wrestled from Father as an excuse to come up here and embarrass Orion. The later is much more plausible especially with his opening sentence "Were you playing First Love? You know Hadrian he wrote that about this great boy in his year."

Hadrian beams as if that confirms his suspicions. "It's a lovely song."

"Isn't it? He can be quite the romantic. My boy would make the best boyfriend wouldn't he-"

"Thank you, Dad! You can _leave_ now" Orion cuts in forcefully taking the tray and pushing the protesting man out of the room at the same time. He barely has the mind to glare at the cackling Auror before he slams the door closed. He turns to find Hadrian wiggling his eyebrows. He sort of wants to punch him in the face.

Him and Malfoy!? Honestly, why was Hadrian so bloody thick!

* * *

A few days later Orion is once again singing for Hadrian but this time they are at a magical park. Today he picked a slow and sensual song, taken from a muggle movie that Will adores, trying his best to get the husky undertone just right. Hadrian his laying on his stomach, chin resting on his palms nodding his head back and forth to a gentle song Orion is playing on his acoustic guitar. Ever since the Hufflepuff learned the Gryfindor could sing he strives to find somewhere private for the other to sing to him. Said his voice was calming and nearly hypnotic- nearly causing Orion to self-combust from joy.

Before, the werewolf would be mortified if anyone outside his parents learns of his ability to play, not overly sure why but it was a skill he hides and hides often. In fact, as far as Potter, Uncle James and Aunt Lily knew the electric guitar was more decoration than anything else. Now, however, he has gotten into the habit of carrying one of them with him, the case swung onto one of his shoulders because if Hadrian asked him to, he would gladly play for him.

How could he not when the other acted like Orion was sharing his hobby with him was the same as receiving a blessing.

As the last of the tune fades away Hadrian sighs opening his eyes from where he had close them to listen better. "Brilliant as ever Orion. You really have a talent."

"It's not a big deal" He deflects on reflex even if he is very please by the praise. He glances around for his water bottle parched from the high notes, only to frown upon spotting he already drank it all. Scanning the area his eyes fall on a little stand selling some beverages and snacks, his mouth drying even more. "I'll be right back."

Hadrian lefts a brow silently asking if he wanted him to go along as company but the werewolf knows he's comfortable laying there in the shade and shakes his head. Green eyes crinkle with a small smile the other gives him crossing his arms on the grass and resting his head on it as Orion walks away. He scurries over to the little stand, already eyeing the water bottles, but the ice cream snatches his attention nearly as fast.

He's in the mood for something sweet, and he knows Hadrian doesn't really eat- a worrying fact his father has been trying to remedy as well as a pushy Will- but maybe if he gets him a small cup, with the changing flavor between vanilla and chocolate, it might be enough to convince him to have some. Even if only a little bit then it would be enough.

It's when he gets close to give the witch running the stand his order he notices the cart next to the food, having missed it with his tunnel vision on refreshments.

A man in cheerful red robes is selling flower arrangements, he sees Orion staring and smiles. "Would you like some flowers for your sweetheart?"

Orion blinks remaining silent but his confusion must have shown on his face since the wizard tilts his head to where Hadrian is still laying in the shade a few feet away. The wizard and the witch running the business share a knowing look when he goes beet red realizing what the man is hinting at stuttering out "Oh no we aren't-it's not-I um."

He curses his incoherent words but he does eye the flowers arrangement pictures on display with interest. Hadrian once mentions he used to garden, during a Herbology class and he knows for a fact his favorite are lilies and tulips. He's not a real big fan of roses, something to do with his late-aunt, but maybe...

Orion suddenly thinks of the way his Dad melts whenever Father spontaneously presents him with flowers. His father had once told him the quickest way to Dad's heart wasn't through his stomach but through his nose and flowers were some of his favorite smells. He might have been joking but...but Orion has been trying to flirt in his own way- expressing himself with words is hard for a regular conversation never mind flirting and his singing hasn't gotten him very far.

Hadrian was stubbornly thick maybe something physical could give him a hint.

"Excuse me, sir, do you think you could weave me this one with red lilies? Blue stardust ribbons please." The man beams when he sees which ones he's pointing to. He waves his wand and the lilies float into the air, stems twirling around each other rapidly, while ribbons tie themselves over the stems to hide them. Orion watches him work as the witch scoops up his icecream, praying Hadrian doesn't glance towards him until they both finish.

"Here you are." The wizard, says handing over his flowers, just as the witch hands over the carry box of ice cream. He pays them both, nearly trembling as he walks back to Hadrian. It's because his sense of hearing is so powerful due to his condition he manages to catch the witch coo "What a cute couple."

He's glad _someone_ can see them together.

Hadrian is still laying in the same place he left him, not tensing in any way which means he knew Orion was approaching. It's can be rather terrifying that he can recognize people by the sound of their footsteps. He has always been rather curious about why a twelve-year-old nearly a thirteen-year-old would need to have a skill like that but it might have something to do with how the Evans brothers were left orphans and he doesn't dare ask.

Orion settles back down on the grass which finally causes one green eye to peek open at him. Hadrian raises an eyebrow in confusion at his new purchases. Orion clears his throat holding out the heart-shaped flower arrangement. "This is for you."

His friend springs upwards, surprise painted on his pretty face. He thinks back to when they first met and thought the other teen was painfully plain which only shows how much of a fool he was. Especially when Hadrian's face lights up at the sight of the lilies, warming as he takes the flowers. "You didn't have to Orion"

"I wanted to. Do you like them?"

Hadrian gifts him that wonderful, mind-blanking grin. "I love them."

There it is. The sudden kick to his chest made of warm and gooey feelings and Orion can't stop his face from breaking out into an equally bright smile. His eyes fall to Hadrian's lips and he wonders if he starts to lean forward would there be a chance for his first kiss? His Dad told him he would know the moment when he saw it and this feels like it might just be-

"You're a great friend 'Rion" Hadrian continues turning the flowers in his hands and caressing the ribbons. "How did you know I needed something to decorate the front door of the shop? I was going to go look for something later but now we can just stay all day lazing about. This will look great on there."

Orion wants to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Orion can play guitar and sing.  
Hadrain is STUPID stupid he doesn't realize what Orion is doing.  
Are Orion's parent's encouraging his crush? Yes. Do they have a good enough relationship Orion can ask them about dating? Yes.  
Fluff I hope? I was going for Fluff and humor.  
Is Hadrian convince Orion and Draco like each other because they act weird when they are around each other-(him?)- yes.  
I'm sorry I don't know how to write songs.  
Would you like to hear the song he was singing in the park? This is what I imagine his voice to be- might be a bit deep for his age but blehhhhhh. it's fiction  
[Orion's song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7aZC9_00ks)


	10. Part 10: Harry and the Dragon War cards Fad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The English Wizarding world gains a new fad while Harry watches Hadrian.  
Anon on Tumblr asked:  
Can you please show some Harry / Hadrian interaction? Can someone, possibly Lily or Orion find out about Harry's crush? Can you show scenes where Harry struggles when Dean and Seamus bash Hadrian in his hearing range? Or will he take a James Potter /Lily Evans approach to Hadrian (That would be hilarious)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a discord. Please come join if you like to!  
https://discord.com/channels/759505694180900896/759508249078005790

Harry found himself at Dimension Hoppers a lot during the summer break. Not really his fault per se, it was Dean and Seamus who wanted to go to the store often because they like to buy random card packages just like about everyone near their age.

Personally, Harry didn’t get as excited for the fad of collectible Dragon Wars playable cards- the kind that apparently had dragons pop off the cards in a holographic display as the gamers placed them down- that the store had personally started. Apparently, it was influenced by some muggle game and put together with the Evans’ far advance Ancient Runes skills.

The dragons were all very realistic and followed actual dragons’ movements and facts provided by their business partners in Romania. The dragon tamers were worried it would lead to kids wanting to force real dragons to fight but had the opposite effect, as more and more young English Magicals were starting to fall in love with the fire breathing creatures. 

It was really raising the morality of keeping the creatures alive and well in health. 

Ten percent of the profits the card packages brought also went to dragon tamers which were another bonus to the Dragon Reserves. 

The point of the game was to collect Dragons with different abilities and with different support cards, attack the opposite side of the board, dealing damage in a point style system. Each attack had a point assigned to it as well as each dragon had a different amount of health. When the dragon’s health hit zero the creature would fall and space it was upon would become the other players. To win, the whole board had to be the color of one side or one player ran out of dragons to summon. 

Harry thought it was interesting but not as fun as the other kids were making it out to be. All summer long he keeps hearing everyone talk about the deck they made, or what new dragons they got, or the battles they won. It was everywhere, nearly as hype up as the store itself which was rapidly becoming the hot spot in Diagon Alley

There were rare kinds of cards as well, call “shinny” and were few in print. They had special powers and caused twice the damage. Also, they looked really cool.

Dean himself was losing his mind over his Shinny Green Wesh, which apparently was the strongest of the Green Wesh and very rare? Harry didn’t know.

He didn’t really care. 

While his friends were busy trying to weight the wrapped up cards between their hands in an effort to make a choice- each pack was randomized since it was a blind buy which was half the appeal apparently?- Harry was busy watching Evans as he worked.

The other green eye lad was cashing out some fourth years, who were buying their own Dragons Wars decks but one girl was fluttering her eyelashes a little too much for Harry’s liking. 

He didn’t know her name, but he’s seen her around as she is only a year older even if she was a random Ravenclaw. She was pretty too, Harry supposed if you liked blonds with stupid crooked teeth. 

“Harry?” Seamus is suddenly in his face cutting off his glare as Evans laughs at something she said. “You alright?”

“I’m fine-”

“He’s staring at Evans.” Dean snickers which cause Seamus to grin in a very teasing manner. Harry’s friends have long ago learned of his crush after the nose breaking at the beginning of the year. They were a little weary since the two started off on such a bad foot, but his best friends have gotten optimistic that somehow his luck with Evans would change.

Harry wasn’t so sure, he could barely even talk to him, let alone get anywhere that could lead to something more. Not for the lack of trying but it was like his mind and his mouth lost communication whenever he got near Evans. 

It always came out wrong. 

It didn’t help that after the family picnic in the spring break, he had attempted to confess by writing a love letter- that is the last time he will listen to his father’s advice- and Lockheart’s stupid cupids found it when he chickened out at the last minute.

Thankfully Evens didn’t suspect it was from him, but sadly his Valentine didn’t really stand out when the other boy got at least seven more. To make matters worse, he had been unnecessarily kind and even adorably surprise to learn someone had sent him something, making sure to thank the cupid and gently pack all the cards away after reading them.

Harry had watched him smile, tiny and briefly, if a bit baffled at his letter smoothing out the red parchment while mouthing the words. Thank Merlin, he hadn’t signed it or the Hufflepuff might have thrown it out or something. 

The mutt’s face as Evans picked up a blue card let him know just who was the author of one of the seven valentines the Hufflepuff revived and that filled Harry with worry as well as anger. He knew he was behind Orion in gaining Evan’s affections. He’s never been behind the werewolf in anything. 

“Go talk to him!” Dean suggested pushing on Harry’s shoulder. 

“What? No!” Harry had fixed up his hair and was wearing a more muggle outfit but he was hardly prepared to go talk to him looking like _this_. It wasn’t a look that would make his crush swoon, so obviously it wasn’t possible to approach him. He was pretty sure he was a bit sweaty too.

“Come on, we’re going the third year soon and as far as I know Evens will be surrounded by people again. People who don’t like you and will make it hard for you to get him alone. This is your chance to make some progress!” The muggle-born push him forward again. “Go!” 

Dang him but he made sense. Harry shot him a miniature glare over his shoulder which Seamus easily mimicked back mockingly. He even adds a close hand wave as Dean gives him the best stern look he can make. Harry huffs. Sometimes his friends were more trouble then they were worth.

Harry moves towards the counter where Evens was reading a book of some kind- runes again?- and he felt his heart beating faster and faster with each step. His hands clammed up, but he fights the urge to run them through his hair because that will only make the strands stand up even more.

He can’t afford to look anything but perfect right now.

Evans glances up as he stops on the other side, not lowering his book as he stares at him through his lashes. Harry swallows “I need assistance.”

One graceful eyebrow raises, and the Gryffindor wants to kick himself. “With the Dragon War cards! I ugh, don’t have a deck and want to start one.”

Finally, the other boy puts down his book, closing it in a quick and delicate graceful motion, before pressing it to the side, using his fingers to cushion the sides and not make noise. Harry thinks Evans has elegant hands, meant to hold priceless things, and he swallows again. 

“Certainly. I’ll be glad to assist you” Evans says giving Harry a very controlled customer-service smile and if that didn’t feel like a backhand slap the teenager didn’t know what did. “The Dragon War cards are found in aisle 3 right beside the Dragon theme stuff animals and the dragon theme toys. Are you looking for anything specific?”

Harry shrugs. “Starter packs? I don’t have a deck. Mind showing me?”

Evans smile strains for only a second before he slaps it back into its friendly nature. “Of course.” 

He steps around the counter and Harry can’t help but snicker when he notices that Evans has to take a step down from the little stole he was using to reach the counter. The boy’s green eyes flash with anger, the lava hot and explosive kind, since it’s no secret the other does not like his height being brought up and Harry thinks he looks gorgeous. 

Anger looks so good on Evans. He gets this lovely flush high on his cheekbones, his eyes become so expressive as if though they glow and somehow his magic even coils around like a firework right about to explode. He’s so pretty Harry can’t even think.

“Follow me” The boy orders, marching over to the aisle his friends fleeing into the other one as they realize they are walking towards them. Harry hopes Evans didn’t notice but he doesn’t think he’s so lucky. He gestures to the cards, babbling away at the importance of support cards compared to summon cards, gesturing at the different colored packaging for the different editions and Harry doesn’t hear a single word of it.

He just stares at him, at the way his lips move, his hair bounces with his head movement and those long delicate fingers gesturing as he speaks not exactly over-excited but not calm either. 

“Do you have any questions?”

“Yes, are you single?” Harry blurts then he realizes what he said as Seamus fails at smothering a chocked laugh from behind one of the shelves. 

Evans doesn’t bat an eyelash in the slightest, taking the question in stride like it was not a complete turn about in the one-sided conversation and somehow that even more attractive. “Yes, I am.”

“Me too. I’m single too.” 

Evans nods accepting the information as nothing else than a sharing of facts. He seems to be waiting for something but Merlin’s wand has mercy Harry didn’t think he would get this far so he doesn’t know what to do now. “I think I’ll start with the water types.”

“Alright. Would you like the deck holders as well?”

“Yes.”

Evans nods once more, turns to reach for the deck holders, standing on his tiptoes with one hand stretched upwards and he is straining but he can’t even touch them. Harry watches him struggle for a while, appreciating the muggle shirt clinging to his very nice back before he steps forward and grabs one for him.

He hands it over with a slight smirk, and Evans’ green eyes all but shine with the glare he that tilts upwards at him. The other boy is very small, his head barely reaching Harry’s shoulders which is ironic given he pretty sure he’s seen the boy spar with the mutt once before and royally hands him his own ass despite Orion being the same height as Harry.

Tiny and dangerous. He may just found out what he’s type is.

“Would you be paying now or have more shopping to do?” Evans nearly bites his tone just a few notches away from aggressive.

Harry swallows again. “Ugh, I have more shopping. Thank you.”

Evans nods turns to go back to the counter but pauses at the entrance of the aisle, throwing a look over his shoulder, and Harry is struck dumb by that one peaking green pupil. “I’m not that short.”

Why did that sound like a threat? “Of course.”

The Hufflepuff seems satisfied and he scurries away, back to his stole and book. Harry leans on the shelves, his heart fluttering like the wings of a snitch. He is this close of clutching his chest to try and get it to settle down when his friends rejoin him.

“That was terrible” Is the first thing out of Dean’s mouth “I mean absolutely terrible. I got second-hand embarrassment from it. _Yes, are you single?_ What kind of line was that? Did you get it out of a book titled How to sound like a toe-rag?”

Seamus is too busy laughing like a lunatic to come to Harry’s defense as he should. The Gryffindor glares at them both, then he snatches up the last of the Grass and Wind type editions cards too, just to be petty when he knows these two were planning on buying them. His friends complain the whole time they pay.

When they leave Harry can’t help but look back at Evans and manages to lock eyes with the boy over his book. He tries to send him a smile but his nerves have him turning the curve of his lips into a smirk instead.

The Hufflepuff’s face turns complicated like he’s trying to work out a puzzle he might not want to find the answer to it either. Harry gets those kinds of looks a lot from Evans and he's not sure why.  
But he will find out, because he may be behind Orion in the competition that doesn't mean anything in the long run. He's never lost to the werewolf before and he's not about to start now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one is short. I'm sorry Harry is hard for me to write.  
So I may have thrown in the 90s Pokemon card craze and I am not ashamed of it.  
Harry's friends are embarrassed to be seen with him  
Hadrian has to keep up that Customer Service Smile and Voice.  
Don't call Hadrian short.


	11. Part 11: Double Date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon asked:  
"I love that Will is Cedric's bi awaking. Can we have more bi Hufflepuff?"  
+  
Anon asked:  
"I NEED MORE ORION /HADRIAN FLUFF"
> 
> Also, I made a HP discord if anyone would like to join!   
https://discord.com/channels/759505694180900896/759508249078005790

The wind chimes ring pleasantly as Orion slumps on the counter bored now that Hadrian is still upstairs for his lunch break. He's been excited about some experimental runes he was hoping to test out soon and wouldn't have eaten in his excitement, thankfully Will had been able to strong-arm him into agreeing to some lasagna. In order to so, however, the man had to stand behind the boy with his arms cross and a stern expression until the last bite had been taken leaving Orion to man the store on his own.

The werewolf didn't mind covering his lunch for him but without the green eye boy, he couldn't see the joy of watching the store.

Especially since it been oddly slow for a Tuesday, as Dimmion Hoppers always had someone regardless of the work hours. He thinks the hype of the store is slowly starting to fall which is a shame since it is still one of the most incredible businesses to ever grace Digion Alley. The Dragon War cards were still selling like a dream however, sometimes selling out on new monthly arrives before noon.

No one had come in the past forty minutes and he was this close to pulling out his hair.

He almost celebrates when he heard the chimes and he turns quickly to the door. "Welcome to Dimension Hoppers. Please have a look around. If you need anything don't hesitate to- oh it's you."

He gives the blushing Hufflepuff a raised brow, not bothering to finish the saying. He's a bit let down in all honesty, he would prefer work then mindlessly standing around but he knows why the other is here and it's certainly not to shop.

Diggory has been visiting the store more and more lately, trying to spot Will in each of his visits. He's not sure when it happened or what was the catalyst but sometime over the year Diggory has grown into his bisexuality and had been doing everything he could to spend time near the man who awakened that part of him. He would stare, fumble, trip over his feet, and babble whenever Will so much as waved at him, blush traveling up to his ears and down his chest. He didn't really talk to Evans and when he did it was painfully obvious that Will wasn't aware of his fumbling flirtations, either through choice or through actual oblivious.

Orion got the sense that while Will could be a bit dense he was nowhere near Hadrian's level, as the oldest brother had already chased off a few hopeful suitors with a firm but kind responds once he picked up on the flirting that they were trying to pull on him. He caught on eventually with each one, but Hadrian has yet to realize Orion's, Malfoy's, and Potter's attempts as much as they relived and agitated him.

Diggory took a different approach to woo Will, ie. he turned into a nervous sweaty wreck that was going for friendship before dating, trying to act casual but being much too eager to hang off the elder's words and agreeing to everything he said in a breathless tone.

The werewolf would call him pathetic if he knew Hadrian didn't have the same effect on him.

"It's nice to see you too Orion," Diggory says flatly clearly not impressed with his greeting. The werewolf shrugs, not being sorry in the least but knowing the older male really isn't that offended by it. He's changed over the past few months too, having learned to speak to people better, and now he knows what could be taken as offensive what could be a joke and what would be a result of someone's quirkiness. "Just you today?"

"Hadrian and Will are upstairs but they should be back in ten minutes. Can I help you with anything?"

Suddenly Digorry's face hardens, his shoulders straightening with purpose and Orion found himself being pin with an intense stare. It completely out of character that the werewolf finds himself taking some small sniffs just to confirm the scent of the Hufflepuff matches what he knows. "I actually think we may be able to help each other."

Orion raises a brow leaning on the counter. "How so?"

Diggory leans over the counter, lowering his voice to a degree Orion has to strain to hear him. He's a bit frighten the Hufflepuff is going to offer his drugs. He doesn't seem the type but Orion learned to not trust others so easily, even if Diggory acted like the local boy next door with his soft smile and crushing expectations of everyone around him.

"I fancy Will" The teenager starts face blooming a slight pink but his determination to get the words out doesn't slow him down, which Orion can't help but cut in with a drawl of "You don't say?"

"I fancy Will" He continues acting like he didn't hear the other speak. Diggory runs a hand through his hair, body language changing to become more and more agitated. "I've been trying to get his attention but nothing is working. He thinks I'm a kid."

Orion leans on the counter, raising an unimpressed brow. He gives the other male a slow look up and down, pointedly. "You are a kid."

Diggory face scrunches up, displeased by the reminder. He runs a hand through his hair, as he huffs. There is a moment of silence as Orion's words hang in the air. The werewolf waits it out wondering what the other is expecting of him. It's almost as if the Hufflepuff wants him to understand a secret meaning but he's never been very good at understanding context. If it's not said out loud then Orion won't assume.

"Look I'm offering a deal here. You help me get Will's attention" The Hufflepuff leans into his face, voice lowering into a near whisper so much so that the werewolf finds himself leaning towards him as well even though he could hear him just fine. Diggory tilts his chin upwards, eyes a deep brown of what Orion would later know is a glint of a deal with a devil. "And I'll help you get Hadrian's"

The teenager freezes staring up at him. At once he thinks of all the fail attempts of getting Hadrian to notice him as a potential boyfriend. All of his attempts, the too quick and loud laughs, the casual touches where he finds an excuse to touch him no matter how brief, the songs he worked hours and hours on perfect, the looks but nothing seems to have work. Nothing he did could get his best friend to understand just how much Orion cares for him. There is a lot he can gain from this offer, however, should he trust him?

On one hand, Diggory has had previous relationships, the whole school was aware of how popular he was among the female population, more so when a female got his brief attention (Never a bad break up) but on the other hand Diggory had only had two girlfriends before and never a boyfriend. If he relied on his experience there could be a handicap with that, as well as the knowledge Diggory was coming to him for help since whatever he was doing before wasn't working.

At this point did Orion care? He's been doing everything he could to, yet he felt he was not taking any steps in wooing Hadrian. If anything he was only further convincing the other that there was some kind of secret relationship with Malfoy which was downright disgusting.

"Well?" The other says sounding a bit impatient.

Orion frowns weighing all his options and in the end, decides, what else do I have to lose? "I'm in"

Diggory's face twists into a self-satisfied smirk. "Good. Here is the plan."

It was easy to convince his parents, even though it took him pacing before their bedroom door one night for a good thirty minutes working up the nerve to ask. Though based on how fast Dad ripped open the door when he knocked they must have heard him out there and it may have even helped his case. Sirius's face had gone from worried to exhilarated in seconds promising to find a way to get Orion's request to come true after he nervously admitting for his late-night visit.

Orion couldn't sleep the rest of the night, butterflies in his stomach as he tried to imagine Diggory's ridiculous plan working. The Hufflepuff instead that it was important to the Evans be lured into the place they needed in order to grab their attention. This meant it was the werewolf's job to get them away from any competition, the rivals who could ruin their chances, but taking them somewhere most of their rivals would never go.

The muggle world.

Since Diggory is a pureblood with little to no reason to go to said muggle world then it was up to half blood Orion to set the stage. His parents would be the ones to give Will the idea on his behalf. All Orion had to do was make a comment about the winter event Hadrian claimed to have missed since he was at Hogwarts, where no telly was around in order to watch the muggle sporting event.

Orion had heard of the Olympics of course he had but he wasn't that deeply interested in them and his Father much more preferred the summer ones. Hadrian however, claimed he always been in awe of the grace it took for one particular event. That was what Diggory was aiming for.

"Ice-scatting? What's that?" Diggory asks as if though he's never heard of such a thing and pronouncing it purposely wrong. He had come in for a new pack of his Dragon War cards and just so happen to overhear Father casually ask Will if he was willing to let him take the boys to the local ice rink. The eldest seemed a bit hesitant to have the younger one go into the muggle world on his own, most likely due to the trauma of losing his parents so violently out of his sight. Orion was starting to doubt this plan until Hadrian turn to him so quickly he nearly fell from the little stool that he was using to fix some of the high behind the counter displays, eyes wide and eager.

"It's actually pronounced ice-skating Cedric." He says stepping down to race over in not quite a run but darn close. Orion grins at the adorable barely suppress excitement that is radiating from the smaller boy. Hadrian clearly enjoys the sport, just the mention of it has his eyes lighting up much more than Quidditch. He blushes a little when Hadrian leans close to him to stare at the Hufflepuff across the counter who is smiling back. " A muggle sport where you use metal slants attached to your shoes and glide over ice. It's hard to keep balance but some muggles are so good at it they become professionals and it always seems really fun. I've never been but I used to watch the Winter Olympics and see the best of the best represent their countries, whenever I could."

"All the more reason to go then," Father says smiling. He places a box down on the counter while Will mulls it over, the eldest chewing on his bottom lip a little. Orion catches the way Diggory's eyes follow the movement. "It would be one afternoon, we go get something to eat and then pay for three hours on the ice. Won't be later than eight p.m at the lastest."

"I don't know." Will starts but one look at Hadrian, who for some stranger reason seems resign to not going despite looking like Yule had come early a few seconds ago, has him giving in. It was almost as if he just assume that he wasn't allowed to ask for things. "Oh alright."

"You should come along Will." Orion injects after a meaningful look from the eldest Hufflepuff no matter how brief it was. His father stiffens obviously not expecting him to extend the offer. As far as his parents were aware this was a plan he had come up with to get alone time with Hadrian- though he hasn't said it Dad more than clearly implied they believed that- and while it would be nice to just be Orion and the boy he fancied, he did have a debt to repay.

He still didn't know what favors Diggory had to call in from the Slytherin upper-year contacts he had, but it must have been important if they were able to find out Hadrian's secret love of ice-skating and the valuable information was something the werewolf needed to return with something equally as valuable. An afternoon with Will was the perfect thing. "It would be fun."

"I can't. Someone has to watch the store-"

"Sirius and I won't mind letting taking over." Father offers obviously seeing where Orion was aiming for even if he didn't know why. "it's been a whole year and not once have I seen you have a day for yourself, Will. You deserve to take a break."

The young adult blinks. "I don't know how to ice-skate."

"Neither do I, but I would still go if I was you." Diggory gasps out sounding like his voice was struggling to stay even. He turns red as the eldest Evans turns to look at him but stubbornly keeps going. "I mean wouldn't you like to try new things?"

"I suppose..."

"Cedric." Hadrian blessed his magic core asks the question that Orion still didn't know how he would offer. "Want to come with us? If your Dad wouldn't mind."

The Hufflepuff grins in such a self-satisfied way that the werewolf has seen many of the badgers do and for one split second, he wonders if the whole magical world has been fooled into thinking the house of yellow, hugs, and plants were much more then particularly good finders. How common was it for the Puffs to pull favors, manipulate, and plan like this? Should he be weary of them instead of the Slytherins?

"I'll ask him as soon I get home" The Hufflepuff agrees. "I'll send an owl with his answer. When are we going?"

Will was forced to give a date and time with everyone staring at him, and the trap was snap closed.

On the promised day, Father and Dad stayed behind to man the store, Dad using one of his sick days at work to help out with the promise to take Father on a date as soon as they returned from the ice rink. It has been a long time since his parents had a night just for them, so Will had offered to babysit Orion- though it killed him to be considered someone who needed a babysitter- and have the young werewolf spend the night.

Dad had booked them a table at a fancy up-crust restaurant the moment Father told him about Will's offer, kissing his husband hand asking if he remembered their last outing that had Orion retreating to his bedroom and not see his parents be embarrassing. He couldn't help but smile at the happy glow of Father as the day towards his date got nearer, somehow the elder werewolf was still excited about dates with his husband even after all these years.

He found himself fantasizing about one day being the same way with Hadrian, old but still madly in love, and he spends a lot of time pressing a pillow to his face in order to calm down as his stomach had a conviction of butterflies. It made waiting for his own outing that much more nerve-wracking, especially since he started to think of this as a date himself. It took hours to pick the proper outfit and even then, Orion was still nervous beyond belief.

It didn't help that Dad keep giving him creepy grins, much like the Grinch whenever he walked by the hallway bathroom and found Orion fumbling with styling his hair in a different way. So he wanted to look good for Hadrian sue him.

Diggory showed up right on time, dressed in his best muggle outfit which Orion vetoed the moment he saw it.

"My dad said all muggles dress like this," Diggory argued as he was here inside while his Father resized one of Orion's outfits for him to wear. "He said it's proper everyday wear."

"Yes in the 70s. Where on earth did you get it?"

"He wore it during an undercover case...in the 70s. Is it really that bad?"

"It's burning my eyes"

Thankfully, they were able to get Diggroy properly dressed and one trip through the floo, had them meeting the Evans at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. Orion actually stopped in his tracks when he saw Hadrian who for some reason also dressed up today in a new pair of jeans a black button-down long-sleeve shirt. His hair was tousled in a way that screams Will's special touch, framing his face and accumulating to his pretty features in a way that made his cheekbones pop.

The young Black felt his mouth go dry and the werewolf knew he wasn't the only one highly affected. All around them, wizards and witches were eyeing the handsome pair the Evans made, with Hadrian gorgeous smile on full display as he laughed at something Will said, some with daze eyes others with flustered faces. The small boy didn't notice stepping in front of his older brother to gesture rapidly, most likely discussing Runes as only that topic gets him rambling like this.

Will himself was in a new pair of jeans, black and slightly ripped with a checkered shirt thrown over a comfy-looking black one, combat boats and long hair loose he looked like every bad mistake your parents warn you to stay away from. Diggory chocked. "Oh Merlin, he's so...look at him..."

"I know" He gasps watching Hadrian press a hand against his mouth to hide his laugh. His best friend never liked to laugh loudly and always shied away from by hiding it behind his palms. His stomach flipped. "Gosh, I know..."

Will glances up, sees them, then sends them a grin that was nearly heart-stopping waving his hand to invite the pair over. Hadrian looked over his shoulder at them, eyes relax most likely already aware they have been there but still quirking his own half-smile, which made everything seem to slow down for a few seconds. Whatever high power gave the Evans brother's their looks should be worship like the gods they are.

"Remember" Diggory hisses under his breath as they walk towards the brothers. "We stay together for a while then we separate, you have to tell Hadrian how you feel while I do the same with Will. This won't work if we aren't honest."

Confessing.

Orion wasn't ready.

But he was going to tell him how he felt. He was. "I know. Good luck Diggory."

"You too Black."

The brothers are comfortable in the muggle world. Hadrian more so, taking the lead as he hailed down a taxi and gave the driver directions to the Ice rink. The winter establishment was quite far, according to the driver, a good forty to fifty minutes but the four were willing to wait it out. They all piled into the auto, making arrangements, and off they went. With Will sitting in the front, the three teenagers in the back, Orion felt the heat of Hadrian's leg pressed up against him in the small muggle vehicle, as he sat in the middle of the two Hufflepuffs.

The drive was a peaceful one, filled with soft conversation of the boys and a jazz song the radio was playing. Mostly everyone was content with watching the world go by, riding in silence.

He couldn't breathe for most of it even when he felt Hadrian slowly ease into his side, comfortable with their closeness. His friend even rested his head against his shoulder at one point, closing his eyes as if he dozed off and Orion keep his eyes firmly on his curled up hands resting on his knees because if he turns his head then he would be mere centimeters from Hadrian's face and his heart could not handle that today okay?

In his peripheral vision, he saw Diggory give him a thumbs up, and when he raised his gaze due to the driver hitting a speed bump, Will's amused green eyes were in the rearview mirror staring right back at him, the young adult processed to wink at him as if he knew just what the werewolf was thinking. Orion swallowed and looked back down as Hadrian mumbled and snuggled close to this neck.

I'm going to die. The werewolf thinks horrified. This is how I go. Death by a heart attack due to pretty boy sleeping on me. Merlin, what a great way to go.

Hadrian's head slumped a little due to a turn. Orion carefully raised an arm to wrap around him and keep him in place, the small boy sighed in his sleep, snuggling closer. Orion smiled, heart, fluttering at the noise, even though his face turns a few hues redder.

Today is the day. Today I will make him mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Will knows Orion likes Hadrian, yes he thinks it's cute.  
Cedric is planning on getting his man. Said man is going to pretend he is as dense as a rock in order to not face the fact a child being attracted to him. (Sorry no Will/Cedric until Cedric is not underage. He can have a crush though)  
I like to think Hadrian had a muggle sport he thought was super cool and you know Winter Olympics plus watching Yuri On Ice had me picking ice-skating.  
Hadrian is comfortable sleeping near Orion and only Orion. Hint hint.   
Honestly not sure if I did a good job on this one. Sorry if it wasn't fluffy anon.


	12. part 12: Double Date 2?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the double date.   
I once again took liberties with the character's background. This time it's Hadrian's sexuality who I always read as being on the ace spectrum. 
> 
> Also, I made a HP discord if anyone would like to join!  
https://discord.com/channels/759505694180900896/759508249078005790

The ice rink was crowded but not overly so. It was during the week, and although it was summertime, Hadrian claimed most muggles didn't go out on a Wednesday because that wasn't within their work hours. The ice rink had a gym, three different types of pools, and five chain restaurants all in one place.

The muggles called it a "community center" which Orion has heard his father mention but he never personally gone to. It was a fantastic sight to see, how large and multiple-use the building was, experiencing it for the first time with his crush who smiled cheekily at him when he noticed Orion's awe.

Not that it was obvious he was in awe as Orion knew and created a perfect blank mask yet somehow Hadrian always seemed to know what he was thinking with only a few glances. It made his heart flutter.

Diggory and he spent the time it took the Evans to pay at the desk for a day pass gawking at the muggles racing each other in the pools a level below through the windows, having never seen an indoor pool with a water slide before. Orion wondered if Hadrian liked swinging, maybe he could ask him to go to the lap pool or the whirlwind one where muggles were spinning in the water screeching with laughter the next time they came

If they came back. If his confession didn't ruin anything between them. He had to force the anxiety away by shear forces as the brothers return with some kind of wrist band that granted them access to the ring and gym for the day. They explain it was in case they rather the full day pass instead of the one hour, in case they felt like staying longer or they wanted to go out for any reason.

The first thing the group did after strapping on the bands was wandered down to the food court as they had been patient enough to wait out the fifty-minute drive but they were famished by the time they arrived. The court had some tables set up while little restaurants took orders and called out numbers as muggles mingled and ate.

Neither Hadrian nor Will had a preference on what to eat but Diggory was indecisive as he scans the five offered food. Orion himself wanted to try the meat-based stand that looked Asian in nature, tugging on Hadrian's sleeve to nod his head in that direction. His best friend beam at him, something the werewolf started to notice he did whenever Orion made a decision on his own unprompted.

It made him feel like he could do anything because Hadrian made him feel like he was _everything._

_I love you so much_ The thought hits Orion like a bolt of lightning, leaving him light-headed and breathless as he fell in step with Hufflepuff who slipped into the line waiting to have his order taken. He had to stomp down the urge to do something stupid like reach for Hadrian's hand to hold. They waited in comfortable silence while the werewolf observed the crowd. There were an interesting amount of muggles running around in rainbow color outfits and a few even had what looked like rainbow flags tied around their shoulders.

"It's Pride," Hadrian says on his left noticing his curious gaze.

"Pride? Like a pack of lions?"

Green eyes crinkle in a genuine smile that the other rarely shows. It makes Orion's inside spam in nervous glee while causing his palms to turn sweaty. "Cute idea but no. Pride as in "I take pride in who I am and stand with others like me against violence and discrimination" Muggles who are homosexual aren't very accepted by the masses. They are scorn and spat at if they are outed. Sort of like a werewolf."

"What?" Orion asks utterly shocked. How could a man loving another man be anywhere near having his condition? He could kill someone if he forgot to take his potion and become a literal raging monster. He just couldn't wrap his head around the idea of it.

"Yeah, I don't understand it either. Then again prejudice doesn't have any rational reasoning. It's just an excuse to be cruel to others," Hadrian shrugged. Moments like these reminded Orion why Hadrian was placed in Hufflepuff instead of Gryffindor. He blatantly ignored what society deemed outcasts and chose to stand with the misfits without batting an eye. Hadrian is _so_ brave...his knees are turning to jelly.

Orion turns his gaze up at the menu so the other wouldn't be able to see him blushing. There were lots of meals advertised with words he didn't know. The werewolf was interested in the Teryaki chicken, with some orange chicken but he was also looking at Beef Bowl. His mouth watered wanting all of it but he knew he wouldn't finish it all.

Hadrian tugged on his sleeve. "We can share."

His face heated up much more because how did the other just _know._ His eyes soften as he stared back at the Hufflepuff who beams at him. Maybe...there was hope for his confession after all. The teenager standing at the cashier register seemed utterly bored, not caring for the tender moment the two were sharing, and stared at them blankly until Orion and Hadrian ordered.

They return to the other two who were eating already on one of the tables, Will a salad, and Diggory was eating some kind of pasta with an expression of pure bliss. He kept throwing besotted glances at the long hair man on his right but either the store owner didn't notice or he simply ignores them. Orion felt bad for Diggory. The four ate while making comfortable conversation, Diggory explaining this up-coming year's team drills for Quidditch in a not so casual attempt to get Hadrian to join the team.

Orion had watched the boy wave off any Hufflepuff begging him to join all year after that one pick-up game that the werewolf watched from the stands and it was hilarious how had the badgers tried. He knew the Evans were talented in Quidditch- just about everything they did was amazing- Will with his amazing maneuvers and Hadrian with the control of his broom that almost seem as if the wood was an extension of his person.

The Hufflepuff house would be unstoppable with both Hadrian and Diggory on the team. The other houses would have to wait until they graduated if they wanted the Quidditch Cup. Orion could already see the other male in his yellow uniform out flying Potter with grace and ease of a madman who had nothing to lose but the wind in his hair and the spark of glee in his eyes. He would look so attractive in those uniforms...

"Maybe you should join" He suggested quietly when the other two moved on in the conversation to some of Will's cursing breaking days. Green eyes flickered to him. "If you like flying."

"You think I should join the Quidditch team?" Hadrian repeated a little baffled and...oddly invested.

"Yes."

Orion has to smother a grin at the pink and embarrassed expression that appears on Hadrian's face as the other turns away to bite into a small piece of beef. He chews carefully before mumbling. "I only join if you go to the games."

Did he mean he wanted Orion to watch him?! A familiar feeling of being kicked in the chest by an invisible force hit the werewolf and he turns away to hide his own blush as well. He twirls the fork in his hand, heart pounding like a child on a sugar rush. "I wouldn't miss a single one."

Will's amused green eyes watch from across the table, Orion sure he saw and heard them even though they spoke very lowly and he wants to melt in his seat. They finish their lunch without much else to say or do but the werewolf can't help but notice the way the brothers fall back and the teasing elbow the eldest throws into the smaller one's side. He wonders if they are talking about him.

"How is it going?" Diggory asks as they tie on the skates that Will paid for. The ice rink is a lot colder than Orion thought it was going to be, despite knowing it was ice they would be gliding on. Thankfully when no muggles were looking Will- as the only one allowed to do magic outside of school though Orion knew Hadrian could do it too- applied a heating charm to all of their clothes. "I saw you two blushing together."

Orion glares at him around the heated cheeks he knew were growing warmer by the second. The older Hufflepuff laughs. "Calm down. That's a good thing! I really think Hadrian likes you. I'm...not sure on Will."

He winces. He didn't think Diggory was making any sort of progress with the eldest Evans either and really he felt bad for him. Orion wasn't stupid even those many of his classmates said otherwise, and he was much more aware of social cues than people gave him credit for. Yes, it was hard for him to communicate but that didn't mean he missed what was in front of him.

A part of him has acknowledged that Hadrian looks at him differently compared to everyone else, unknowingly or not, the other did. He often turned to Orion first, and his eyes followed the werewolf around the room without conscious thought. He also touched him the most, often leaning into him or pressing himself against him for a few seconds but it was more than what he did with any of the others. Even Malfoy, who arguably was his biggest competition didn't get to have Hadrian relaxing around him enough to fall asleep, something the other teen desperately needed at times.

Sometimes Hadrian even found himself scooting closer to Orion to sleep on- like before in the taxi- and he didn't do that even with his own brother, awake or otherwise. He doesn't think the Hufflepuff is aware of it himself, but he knew that to Hadrian, Orion was special.

Yes, his best friend was pretty dense who didn't realize this on his own since he was still under the impression that Orion fancied Malfoy- ew- and he hasn't picked up on any of his attempts of flirting but the matter still stood that he may have a chance. Something Diggory didn't seem to have at all and that had to hurt.

He awkwardly pats the other on that arm which causes a weak chuckle. He doesn't say anything because there isn't he could say, still, he thinks the Hufflepuffs get it with the grateful look he receives. Without a by your leave, he nods back and makes his way to the rink. Hadrian is already standing at the edge of its wall staring in awe at the muggles who are going in one large circle.

Orion falls to his side grinning at the childish wonder on his best friend's face, nodding his chin to the rink. Hadrian takes a careful step on the ice, then another and he promptly slips. It's only because of his werewolf reflexes that Orion is able to rush forward and catch him before he hits the floor. The smaller boy stumbles in place as the two fumbles on the ice, the Hufflepuff is unable to keep his balance, and the Gryffindor struggling to do the same with the boy in his arms shaking everywhere.

"Oh gosh. Oh no." Hadrian says grabbing onto his shoulders in a death grip as his feet slid this way and that. "This looked a lot easier than it actually is!"

"Stop moving-Hadrian!" The two hit the ground, the cold unforgiving ice, causing pain to flair up his bum as the other boy's chin slams into his shoulder. Hadrian groans in pain on top of him. A few muggles pass them laughing, and Hadrian blushes a deep red that makes the wolf in the Black sneer in protective rage. Who were they to judge him? Orion helps him to to the wall where Hadrian holds onto to keep himself upright. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Then a wonderful sound filled the air. Hadrian is_ laughing_. "We fell! I'm utter pants at ice-scatting! Ha!"

Orion wonders why in the world he fell in love with a madman. Who is happy about falling down on ice? Still, he can't help but laugh with the other and they slowly carefully make a loop around the large circle, mindful of the muggles in the way. He spots Will and Diggory making loops on the other side of the rink, chatting easily unaware of the muggles throwing appreciative looks in their directions.

Hadrian spends the whole time holding on to the wall or Orion's hand as the werewolf is not as graceful as the other muggles but at least he can stand upright and with a few hesitant movements can even glide a few feet. Hadrian can barely keep his feet under him before he tumbling down.

He laughs each time. It's surprising in a way, Orion never thought there wasn't something Hadrian couldn't do yet seeing him fail so drastically at something somehow reminded him of how human his best friend is.

"Are you two having fun?" Will asks skating over to them with a lot less grace than the older male usually had. It seems out of all the wizards only Diggory was able to skate without an issue looking like he had a few lessons already in the muggle sport- Orion is highly suspicious even though he knows Diggory has never been to the muggle world. In terms of skill from best to worst it seem it was Diggory, Will, Orion, and Hadrian.

Will only beat him because he could stand upright without shaking like Orion- though that may be due to Hadrian holding on to him with unsteady balance as the werewolf's strength is the only thing keeping them from hitting the ground again.

"Yeah, this is amazing!" Hadrian gushes a lot happier than someone who fell four times in the first lap had a right to. "Thanks for bringing me!"

Will's eyes soften "You're welcome."

Orion hunches his shoulders when the eldest Evans throws him a grateful look as well almost as if he is silently claiming he is the reason for the other boy's happiness. He knows on some part Will really worried for Hadrian. He isn't aware of what happened, nor are his parents, but he does know Will felt guilty for leaving his parents and Hadrian when the former was killed. He had been on a different curse-breaking mission for the first time and hadn't heard of his parents' death until later, but Hadrian had been present when they died. He watched them die.

Will had confessed to Father that his younger brother suffered great trauma and that he struggled to find ways to make him feel happy and hopeful as when they were both younger. His father had of course sat the family down to discuss the obvious trauma both brothers suffered from and they all agree to do their best to help. Orion had started carefully making sure Hadrian ate and sleep even if it was only a little and the naps weren't long, while his parents kept Will from overworking himself. His Dad was trying his best to slowly encourage Will to go out a little more, wanting him to find someone or at least enjoy his youth a little.

It was a work in progress on both parts but he thinks the two were better now compared to when they first met.

"You alright there Hadrian?" Diggory asks watching the way Hadrian's feet slip again and Orion desperately keeps him upright.

"Sure am. I just didn't realize how hard this would be."

The other Hufflepuff looks baffled for a moment, obviously not expecting the Hufflepuff genius to struggle with anything like Orion did, before he laughs. "You just got to balance your weight like this."

For a few minutes, the group spends a good while attempting to copy Diggory's movements. Muggles dressed in various rainbows colors circle around them some of them doing twirls and jumps that Hadrian watches with obvious wonder and this is one of the best days of Orion's life. It's fun, relaxing and he gets front row seats to Hadrian's glee.

Orion can we try making another circle." Hadrian turns to him, still clasping his hand tightly. "I think I figured out how to move the skates"

The werewolf agrees and together they break away from the other two to try and circle around. He nearly forgets about his nerves for this possible-date until a woman dressed in a bright dress, heavy make-up and large wig comes on speaker with fabulous gusto, random colored spotlights swindling widely around with her entrance.

"Hello, my lovelies!" She says, the muggles projecting her image on the giant screen above the rink even though she can be seen at the top of the rink inside the announcement box. Many people stop to cheer for her and she grins shaking her shoulders slightly. "Thank you all for coming to this year's lovely- Pride celebration! I want to give a special thank you to the community center for allowing us to celebrate true love here. Now I know you all been waiting for this moment for what is love than a true love kiss? Who will be blessed by cupid today and be chosen for our KISS CAM!"

The muggles cheer even louder than before. Orion has no idea what is happening so he carefully moves them over to the closest wall, allowing Hadrian to half lean on it and him as they watched the strange celebration. The woman's winking face disappears to show two girls a few years older than Diggroy inside a drawing of a heart. The two turn to each other with bashful smiles as they spot themselves on the screen.

The muggles started chanting "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" And the two laugh but do so among the cheering of the crowd. The image changes two to men with white hair and wrinkles sitting in the stands. They both give their own smiles but give each other a tender kiss l and the crowd loses their mind.

Then much to Orion's horror, the image changes again and he sees something he rather not. it is himself looking upwards with Hadrian's head peeking around his shoulder also looking up his head barely visible around the heart. His best friend's hand was placed on his shoulder and it tightens when he sees them on the kiss cam.

Around them, muggles start chanting for a kiss but Orion can barely hear them over the beating of his chest as he turns to stare into Hadrian's large green eyes surprise on his pretty face. He doesn't know what to do with himself or what he should do at all.

Then much to Orion's shock Hadrian starts leaning forward. Before he can process what's happening he feels a pair of lips carefully placing a kiss on his cheek. It burns where they touch sending trembles throughout his body but Hadrian pulls back with a blush before he can fully process what happened.

Some muggles cheer others boo wanting a "real" kiss but Hadrian is shaking his head. His scent though...oh goodness his scent. Orion had always been always to smell people's emotions, at some level due to the body producing certain scents when they are experiencing them and Hadrian's was practically telling him what the other couldn't.

Hadrian is in love with him.

The information leaves him breathless in awe shocked. As Hadrian is pulling away he reaches out grasping onto his arm to stop him from getting too far away. Before Orion knew what he was doing he turns the boy back to him and blurts "I'm in love with you."

He regrets it immediately afterward the words leave his mouth because of the face Hadrian makes. It's a complicated mixture of confusion, awe, disbelief, and...fear.

Hadrian yanks his arm free from the werewolf's hold racing towards the exit with far less grace than he most likely wanted and Orion is left standing there heartbroken on the ice watching him go. He can't move as Hadrian finally gets to the little opening along the way, throwing a desperate look over his shoulder before scrambling to take off his skates. As soon as his feet are free he is running out of the rink into the lobby.

Will broke away from the crowd to follow after him and Diggory rushed to his side. "What happened?"

"I...I think I just ruined everything" Orion says around his tears. Diggory hugs him close offering him comfort. The older boy leads him to the stands then carefully helps him into the lobby. Orion is choking on his tears, trying hard not to sob in public but it's darn difficult to do so when his chest felt like it was caving in. Some muggles stare but thankfully the older boy glares at them until they look away and finally carries him to a corner in the food court where the tables are empty for some privacy.

Diggory runs his back mumbling reassurances looking utterly lost on what to do.

"Will...rejected me too." Diggory starts sounding broken heart as well. Orion sniffs looking at him curiously. "He um he was really sweet about it. Said he was sorry he was born too early but that he was sure someone my own age would love me. I guess...I figured it would happen. I'm just a kid in his eyes and this whole plan was...a desperate last attempt"

"I...I never thought I would see the fear on his face when he looks at me. Not Hadrian" Orion admits, the hurt cutting into him like a knife. He has gotten used to the fearful and disgusted looks he received over the years but he had not been prepared to have them directed at him from the one person he always assumed wouldn't fall so low. He thought Hadrian would never make him feel bad for being a werewolf.

"...Was he afraid of you or what you make him feel?" Diggory asks carefully after a moment of silence.

Orion doesn't know what to say to that. He is still struggling to find words when he smells Hadrian making his way to them. Stiffening he can't bring himself to look up at him even when Hadrian clears his throat.

"Um Cedric can we have a moment to speak alone?"

The Hufflepuff says nothing glancing down at the werewolf with a question in his eye. It's starting to realize the older boy is protective of him, waiting for his answer and not wanting to leave him if he asked. He had forgotten that while the others had started speaking to him because of Hadrian they were still like having him around...at least he thought that they tolerated him for the Hufflepuff but he may have been wrong.

Maybe they have turned into his friends when he wasn't paying attention.

"It's okay." He whispers and the older boy nods.

"I'll be over there if you needed me," Di-_Cedric_ says moving past Hadrian to a further table out of hearing range but close enough to come to his aid if the Gyfiddor needed it.

Then it's just the two of them. Orion swallows trying to clean his face of tears not knowing what to do with himself and the silence that for once does not feel light.

"Orion...I'm sorry about how I reacted. That wasn't...due to you being a werewolf or anything."Hadrian starts taking a seat next to him. It's cruel in a way that he feels comfort from their shoulders pressing together. "I...appreciate how you feel for me. You're an incredible person but I'm...not comfortable dating you. I'm not comfortable dating anyone until...we both be of legal age. Anyone younger would be wrong. You're just too young for me"

Orion twists to stare at him confusedly "We're the same age."

"Yeah, that..." Hadrian trails off, if it weren't due to knowing him Orion would think this was a pathetic excuse he made on the spot to spare his feelings, or what is left of them. But he does know Hadrian and for some reason, their age really did upset him. "It's not just that. I don't...listen you don't want to be with someone like me. I'm broken."

"What? Do you mean what you went through? Hadrian that's doesn't make you broken."

The Hufflepuff shrugged but it was a strain action as if his shoulder couldn't bear a heavy burden laid upon them. "It's partially that's but I'm broken in another way. I don't feel attraction like normal people do. In fact, I sometimes think I don't feel it at all. I don't think I would mind it maybe but I don't like the idea of sex and all that intimate stuff. I think I like the _idea_ of a relationship and I would maybe sleep with someone if it helped with stress but those sexual urges we are supposed to feel for someone? Yeah, I'm broken. It's why Veela's don't affect me. I'm not even sure if I like girls or boys because I literally only ever noticed one person before and that didn't even last that long. You deserve to be with someone who could give you what you wanted."

Oh.

"You're not broken," Orion says a little firmer. He grabs his friend's shoulder to force him to look him in the eye and he is started by the uncertainty he finds in Hadrains green eyes. "You are not. So you don't feel urges so what? It's a lot more normal than you think. My uncle Peter is like that"

Hadrian's face did a strange shudder but Orion pressed on. "It's not a requirement to have those urges for a relationship. If you never want to that's okay too. If you never want to do any of that with me or anyone that's alright. It's your body Hadrian you decided what happens to it. Never think it makes you anything less for it."

Hadrian was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. His voice was hoarse and cracked like he was fighting tears. "Thank you."

"You're my best friend" Orion started and that was the sum of it all wasn't it? No matter what happens between them, their friendship would survive. Knowing this the werewolf allowed anxiety and uncertainty eased in him. "If you aren't ready now. I can wait."

"What?"

"I'll wait" He repeats firmly. "I really like you. I don't care if you never want to do that kind of stuff. I don't care that you rather wait till we are older. I don't care that you may be confused right now and need time. I'm in love with you and I'll wait for years if I have to. You're worth the wait"

Hadrian was staring at him either utter wonder as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Really?"

"Yes."

He has never seen Hadrian cry which is why when those green eyes filled with tears that he honest to Merlin started to panic. The smaller boy pressed himself to Orion's chest and what else could he do than wrap his arms around Hadrian who silently sobs? It's what pack is for after all. He pushes away his own wants to help him through the pain, and it feels like something melts away from the tension in Hadrian's shoulder.

As if through a part of him could finally relax.

Later, when they clean themselves up some and discuss more Hadrian's possible sexuality- Uncle Peter spoke to Orion a lot about his asexuality and he was rather informed on the subject compare to Hadrian who had never heard of it- he is greeted by Will's silent but utter gratitude and Cedric brotherly grin. The four leave the rink after a few more hours though if Hadrian is a tad bit closer to him than usual no one mentions it.

Orion doesn't need to. He can smell what it means. But he will keep true to his word. He will wait until Hadrian is ready and he will do so by his side as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will ships it. Orion is good for Hadrian and he is glad the werewolf is there for him.  
Cedric accepted his defeat with grace.   
Hadrian is on the ace spectrum because I think it fits him and Peter too. Also, is Orion being able to smell emotions cause why not?  
Now listen I ship them so hard but Hadrian wouldn't feel right dating Orion until he is older.   
Sorry for the long wait, I hope this chapter makes up for it.


End file.
